Two options would split county in half
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By ROD STETZER rod.stetzer@lee.net
Tuesday, September 18, 2007 10:20 AM CDT
EAU CLAIRE — Chippewa County residents are keeping their opinions to themselves on how to add a new area code for northwestern Wisconsin.
Something needs to be done soon, Joyce Dingman of the Wisconsin Public Service Commission said during Monday’s public hearing on the issue at the L.E. Phillips Senior Center in Eau Claire.
“The (current 715) area code is now projected to run out in the fourth quarter of 2009,” Dingman said.
Each area code has 792 usable prefixes, such as 723- , 726- and 738- in Chippewa Falls. The 715 area code has only 91 of those 792 prefixes left.
“The question tonight isn’t whether to add an area code, but how to add it,” Dingman said.
Despite the urgency to do something, only one member of the public spoke at Monday’s hearing which drew a total of 14 people, including PSC staff and reporters.
“I feel any plan is better than the overlay for the western part of Wisconsin,” said Marty Green of Eau Claire.
The overlay method is recommended by the phone industry and is one of two methods being considered by the PSC.
Using an overlay, people could keep the 715 area code if they have a current phone line with it. New residences and businesses would be assigned a new area code.
So it would be possible for adjoining houses to have two different area codes; or with the addition of new services, businesses could have different area codes for its various lines.
Callers would also be forced to dial 10 numbers — the area code plus the number — on local calls. (Local calls now would still be considered local calls, even after a new area code begins.)
The overlay method would save businesses and residences the cost or aggravation of having to change area codes. And it would take a projected 22 years before the numbers run out again.
The other method being considered by the PSC is splitting the area code boundary, with one area keeping 715 and the other getting a new area code.
People in Green Bay went through that process and inconvenience, Green noted, “and the world kept spinning on its axis.”
Five split-area alternatives are being considered by the PSC. If the overlay method is not selected, the phone industry is recommending Alternative Six.
That plan has little affect on Chippewa County. The boundary would place Stanley, Gilman and Thorp on the western side of the boundary, and Owen, Neillsville and Medford on the eastern side.
Alternative Two is similar to Six. The third alternative has a partial north and south boundary, with Webster and Shell Lake being to the south and Spooner and Winter to the north. Again Chippewa County would not be split.
But that would change under Alternative Four, which lowers the north-south boundary through the county. The north would be New Auburn, Bloomer, Eagle Point, Jim Falls, Cornell and Holcombe, while Chippewa Falls, Lake Hallie, Cadott and Stanley would be to the south and would have another area code.
Alternate Five also splits Chippewa County. To the north of the area code boundary would be New Auburn, Long Lake, Holcombe and Cornell. To the south would be Bloomer, Jim Falls, Cadott and Stanley.
The PSC will accept written comments on the matter until Oct. 5. Comments should include the reference docket number of 5-TN-100, and should be sent to: Sandra J. Paske, Secretary to the Commission, Public Service Commission, P.O. Box 7854, Madison, WI 53707-7854.
The PSC is expected to make a decision next year.
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