Herb,Herb, Brother Herb’s telephone Salvation Show.

It's Herb, Brother Herb, Say Brother Herb's Telephone Salvation Show-ow (halle-halle)
Pack up the babies and grab the old ladies, And everyone goes, 'cause everyone knows,
Brother Herb's show

(With apologies to Neil Diamond…)




As part of his monthly message to the community found on the e-prince Rupert newsletter portion of the city’s web page, the Mayor provided his thoughts on the current state of CityWest gleaned from the recently held open house hosted by the city’s telecommunication company.

(Click here to read the full address)

We’ve cobbled together a Coles Notes version of the address to city. For those that might have a slow Internet connection, frustrating them in their hopes of keeping informed.

As an opening remark the Mayor, found inspiration in the blueprint for the future of CityWest, a company looking to the future with big plans to come.

The mayor recounts the “ perfect financial storm”, a period of time where the borrowing abilities of the city were severely affected. An event that apparently necessitated the creation of a stand alone company now known as CityWest.

“back-to-back pulp mill bankruptcies washed away all owed taxes, the situation reversed. Now the telephone department was unattractive to lenders because of the City’s finances, and as a department vied with Fire, Police, Library and Recreation for rapidly vanishing operating dollars. With competition heating up it became clear that without bold action we risked losing a very valuable asset.

So in a fight for survival the city made CityWest that stand alone company, ready to unleash its potential on the Northwest.

From that early history lesson, he moves on to the purchase of cablevision services, a call centre for Prince Rupert, ADSL service and the fibre optic link, apparently crucial for the college, hospital and port.

The future offers expansion of services throughout the northwest – with more revenues, more employment, lower prices and better service. As the Mayor describes it “it’s all pretty exciting stuff.”

Those currently wondering about their cel service or digital cable offerings may find warmth in his observations that there is nothing to hide.

“But rather than hide, deny or blame others, the management team was acknowledging the gaps and outlining the plans to get things back on track quickly."

As he left that public meeting, the mayor was confident that the company, (our company) was on the verge of becoming a nimble word class telecommunications provider. Ready to benefit Prince Rupert and the Northwest

Now if only we could get the phones to quit draining those batteries, and dropping the calls. Some folks might give him a call to discuss it all.

Maybe take advantage of a chance to compare notes and wonder aloud about such things as financing, dividends, technological problems and change to come and such.