THE CSI PRESENTATION AT THE FEB. 3 DELEGATE ASSEMBLY

EXAGGERATED CLAIMS AND FALSE CHARGES

Regarding the CSI presentation at the Feb. 3 Delegate Assembly and Mr. Grossman's claim that HE (or the Messenger Club or Mr. Moore) deserved the credit for bringing Comcast "to the table," of course such a claimed phone call may have been made to Comcast. Anyone can have made a phone call. Anyone, too, could have even made a phone call that possibly triggered something. It has been, however, the Broadband-Cable Committee and CSI—and those negotiating for AT&T, Comcast and Atlantic Broadband—who have done the hard work and brought us step by step to where we are.

 Also, it is patently false, as alleged by Gary Olman in his Feb. 4 post on the "My Village Blogger," that Dave Israel (always the scapegoat, of course) wanted to foist Atlantic Broadband on us from the outset. Here is what Gary said: "What was happening was that the UCO President had decided who he wanted to supply us with TV, Wifi and maybe telephone services, This was done to the exclusion of all other applicants. David Israel did not invite any other bids.That is until Ed Grossman spoke to Comcast. They were not aware that there was bidding going on."

This is preposterous. Perhaps one man at Comcast did not know (or said he did not know) what was going on, but Comcast certainly did! I remember Dave much earlier on making the point repeatedly that our Village was a "plum," and we WANTED the "big boys" to compete for our business. Comcast was in the running from the beginning.

Gary goes on to say (tellingly) a little later: "What I do not understand, why no additional bidders? Why accept Atlantic and nobody else?" Well, Gary, that would indeed be puzzling if it were true! But it is not! I would suggest you pay a little closer attention to what is going on at the Committee meetings and perhaps read the UCO Reporter.

Getting the right deal and the best deal in a business as complicated and fast-changing as the telecommunications industry requires expertise. Fortunately for us, we have CSI, a company that specializes in this; Dave Israel himself, who spent 30 years at the NSA, where such expertise is of paramount importance to the NATION; and an experienced Committee.

Could it be that Mr. Grossman and Mr. Moore are glory-seekers? And Mr. Olman too easily duped?