Water, Gas and Light Commission telecommunications department shows growth

ALBANY — Water, Gas & Light Commission telecommunications department director Jason Gauntt told the WG&L board Thursday morning that significant improvements in the leaner department were what he expects to be only the beginning of a department with an eye on the future.

Gauntt said the WG&L telecom department had generated $274,450 in additional revenue compared to the same period last year and that the majority of the revenue ($213,058) is recurring. Interim General Manager Tom Berry trimmed department personnel from nine to three late last year as a cost-saving and efficiency measure.

“Our department is still a work in progress that’s only going to get better,” Gauntt said. “I believe if you look at where we were a year ago and compare it to where we are today, it shows what we’re capable of doing.”

Gauntt said the telecom department offers data, Internet and internal networking services and is in a trial phase with a voice component that will give the utility the ability to offer more compelling bundled packages.

“I’m really excited about the possibilities with our voice services,” he said. “You’re a lot more attractive when you can offer multiple services to your customers. In the next 60 to 90 days we expect to have a handle on where we want to go with this voice component.”

Asked about the possibility of adding cable television to the telecommunications bundles offered by the utility, Gauntt said that’s not currently in the works but that vendors are starting to offer an Internet TV component. Berry said cable is not a smart long-range product.

“Frankly, the future of cable TV is not very good,” the interim GM said. “Everything now is being driven to the Internet. Once Google or Apple or some other company cuts a deal with Disney, I think that’s when cable will have taken its last breath.”

Board members praised Gauntt and his department for their improvements.

“You need to be commended,” Commissioner Bob Hutchinson said. “You’re doing now with three folks what we were paying nine folks to do, and they were operating in the red.”

Mayor Dorothy Hubbard said, “It looks like you’ve made a 360-degree turn,” and Berry responded, “At least that.”

Also at the meeting, Assistant GM Lee Hauesler gave the board a first look at plans to renovate the utility’s Pine Avenue facilities. Hauesler said the inability to control temperature in the structure may necessitate an HVAC overhaul, during which WG&L could redesign its offices to make the facility more customer-friendly.

“When it comes to heating and cooling this place, (the HVAC unit) has a mind of its own,” Hauesler said. “We plan to limp along until we can determine what we need to do, but if we do any renovations we’re hoping to reconfigure our offices to look more like they did in 1935. That would allow us to concentrate customer service in one area.”

Berry said Albany City Commissioner Tommie Postell, whose father was a long-time WG&L employee, was searching for photos from years ago to help with planned renovations.

“This whole process would streamline our interface with customers,” Berry said.