Musante Seeks to Remove Phone Outside Excello Liquors

The pay phone outside Excello Liquors, at 419 13th St. NE, will be discussed at an informal hearing that the D.C. Public Service Commission will hold at 10 a.m. on April 28. (I'm not sure whether the hearing is open to the public — call Sam Bost at 626-5120 to ask.)

The pay phone is owned by E&E Communications.

The hearing is the result of a complaint filed by ANC 6A05 Commissioner Michael Musante (411 11th St. NE, 548-2542), the Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner for the Corner Forum area south of the middle of E Street NE.

Mr. Musante explains: "Basically, when you submit a request that a phone may be illegal or a phone is a nuisance phone, that triggers an investigation. If it suggests that a hearing is needed, it will go to a hearing where the owner — the company that runs that phone — and whoever started the investigation or complaint, will both present evidence as to whether that phone should be removed or not."

"So there will be a hearing where I have to present evidence as to why that phone should be removed."

And why should it be removed?

"The phone is used for illegal use like drug dealing. It is near a liquor store where individuals loiter. It has been reported by the police from our PSA and from residents of that neighborhood to be a nuisance phone. Also, a voluntary license agreement [with Excello Liquors] said that it was supposed to be removed."

The ANC voted unanimously at its April 8 meeting to object to the presence of nine pay phones, including the phone at 419 13th St. NE.

The others, all in Northeast: 1839 Benning Road, 646 H St., 1224 H St., 1334 H St., 1351 H St., 1380 H St., 1401 H St., 419 13th. and 1201 K St.

The D.C. Public Service Commission had asked the ANC for comments on those nine phones. §