CTC Technology & Energy

2020-1023-CTC-Petaluma-AgreementDownload
1. Lee Afflerbach was hired by Sonoma, CA

Result: three so-called dba Verizon “small” Wireless Telecommunications Facilities (sWTFs) for commercial areas were approved on 10/19/2020 — all three without NEPA review, as detailed in a Feb 5, 2020 NEPA Complaint. See details here and here.

2. Lee Afflerbach was hired by Napa, CA

Result: 28 of 54 planned dba Verizon sWTFs were approved for residential areas in Napa in Phase One. The remaining 27 sWTFs will be built in future phases, of the City doesn’t come to its senses. See details here.

3. Lee Afflerbach was hired by Monterey, CA — Key Monterey Documents for Mar 15, 2018

Result: Applications for 12 of 13 so-called “small” Wireless Telecommunications Facilities (sWTFs) were pulled by the applicant right before the Mar 15, 2018 Planning Commission hearing. The 13th sWTF, to be placed in front of Nina Beety’s home, was recommended for approval by the Monterey Planning Commission, but denied by the Planning Commissioners based, in part, on the CTC report which showed No Significant Gap in Verizon Telecommunications Service in the area.

CTC Technology & Energy, is a Family Business

Lee Afflerbach, P.E., Principal Engineer

Lee Afflerbach is a telecommunications systems engineer with nearly 40 years of experience. He has designed, tested, and planned dozens of wireless, coaxial cable, and fiber optic networks for municipal government, public safety, educational, and non-profit clients. Lee is a nationally recognized authority on cable systems and wireless communications. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in the states of Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, and Washington, and in the District of Columbia.

Andrew Afflerbach, Ph.D., P.E., CEO & Chief Technology Officer
  • Andrew Afflerbach is Lee Afflerbach’s oldest son.
  • Andrew Afflerbach owns 6006 Wilmett Road, Bethesda, MD with CTC Presdient Joanne Hovis

Andrew Afflerbach specializes in planning, design, and implementation of communications infrastructure and networks. His expertise includes emerging fiber and wireless technologies and state-of-the-art networking applications. As Chief Technology Officer, he oversees all engineering work performed by CTC Technology & Energy. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the States of Delaware, Maryland, and Illinois.

Andrew served as technical advisor to the government of New Zealand in its nationwide FTTP initiative, where he developed the reference architecture for the effort and led the specification and procurement strategy. He has planned and specified fiber optic and wireless networks for large cities, counties, and regions, and conceived and developed the super-regional interoperable fiber optic network in the National Capital Region (including the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, and 22 large local communities). He is an experienced network planner who understands the business and financial implications of various network designs. He also leads the technical team conducting FirstNet planning for the District of Columbia.

Andrew was appointed to the Disaster Response and Recovery Working Group of the FCC’s Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee (BDAC).

Joanne Hovis, President

Joanne Hovis is a recognized authority on broadband markets and on the evolving role of public–private partnerships in the provision of communications services to the public. For more than 20 years, she has directed CTC’s consulting services related to strategic planning, market analysis, business modeling, and financial analysis for localities, states, and tribal governments nationwide.

Joanne leads the CTC teams that advise or have advised the states of Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, and Vermont; the cities of Atlanta, Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.; and the statewide broadband networks in Colorado, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. She also leads CTC’s advisory work regarding federal broadband funding programs such as E-rate, ReConnect, the Connect America Fund, the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, and the Healthcare Connect Fund.

Joanne has testified before Congress on issues related to rural broadband, broadband public-private partnerships, and the digital divide, and has provided expert presentations to the Federal Communications Commission, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the National League of Cities, and other national organizations.

Joanne is a member of the boards of directors of the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, Consumer Reports, and the Fiber Broadband Association. She is a former president of the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA) and is also CEO of the Coalition for Local Internet Choice (CLIC).

6006 Wilmett Road Bethesda, MD 20817-2525

Owners: ANDREW AFFLERBACH & JOANNE HOVIS
  • Zillow Estimate: $1,450,000
  • Property use: Residential Property
  • class: Standard Unit Land size: 6,900 square feet
  • Building area: 3,550 square feet
  • Number of full bathrooms: 5
  • Number of half bathrooms: 1
  • Number of stories: 2.0
  • Year property was built: 2004
  • Basement: Yes
  • Exterior: Frame
  • Garage: 1 Attached
  • Last sales: Date: 03/08/2005
  • Price: $1,326,000
  • Seller: HAMILTON HOMES INC
Michael Afflerbach
  • Michael Afflerbach is Lee Afflerbach’s second-oldest son.
  • He is not listed as an employee of CTC Technology
Marc Schulhof, Senior Analyst / Technical Writer

Marc Schulhof has more than 15 years of experience in technical writing, journalism, and corporate communications. He applies his editorial skills and his ability to analyze complex IT and business topics to a range of research, writing, and survey projects for CTC’s clients. Prior to joining CTC, Marc held editorial roles at IBM and PricewaterhouseCoopers Consulting. He holds both a Bachelor and Master of Science Degree in Journalism from Northwestern University.

List of CTC Technology & Energy Employees

From https://www.ctcnet.us/contact-us/who-we-are/

  1. Joanne Hovis, President
  2. Andrew Afflerbach, Ph.D., P.E., CEO & Chief Technology Officer
  3. Lee Afflerbach, P.E., Principal Engineer
  4. Cat Blake, Civic Technology Analyst
  5. Madeline Caulfield, Staff Analyst
  6. James Crane, Communications and Public Safety Subject Matter Expert
  7. Carroll Clift, Senior Engineer
  8. Michael Crites, Staff Engineer
  9. Matthew DeHaven, Vice President for Fiber & Infrastructure
  10. Kyle Doescher, GIS Analyst / Staff Engineer
  11. Nirav Gori, Wireless Engineer
  12. Mitch Hergett, Staff Engineer
  13. Robert Hunnicutt, (Retired) SME
  14. Cheryl Johnson, Senior Analyst
  15. James Jordan, Principal OSP Engineer
  16. Jennifer Kefer, Senior Analyst
  17. Jacob Levin, Senior Analyst
  18. Ruhena Miah, Analyst / Assistant to Director of Operations
  19. Heather Mills, Lead, Funding Strategies, Principal Analyst & Director of Operations
  20. Matthew Reid, Staff OSP Engineer
  21. Ziggy Rivkin-Fish, CGEIT, Principal Analyst
  22. Marc Schulhof, Senior Analyst / Technical Writer
  23. David Talbot, Principal Analyst & Researcher
  24. Shawn Thompson, Vice President for Analytics
  25. Brian Wegemann, GIS Analyst
  26. Karen White, Principal Analyst
  27. Eric Wirth, Principal Engineer
  28. Sandi Yatvin, General Counsel & Chief Financial Officer
  29. Jim Zimmermann, GSEC, PMP, Senior Network Engineer & Project Manager
Notes from 32-page pdf. Pages numbers represent page in the pdf (not page number on the page)
  • p. 4 — Term. The term of this Agreement commences on the Effective Date, and terminates on February 28, 2021 Unless sooner terminated in accordance with Section 4.
  • p. 5 — Progress Reports. Upon the City’s request, Consultant shall provide, in a form acceptable to City, written progress reports of all oral and written observations, opinions, reconunendations, analyses, progress and conclusions related to Consultant’s performance of the Services.
  • p. 5 — Conflict of Interest. Consultant represents that it presently has no interest, and covenants that it shall not acquire any interest, direct or indirect, financial or otherwise, which would conflict in any manner or degree with the performance of the Services hereunder.
  • p. 6 — Subcontractors. Consultant shall directly perform all Services, and shall not subcontract any portion of performance of the Services without the prior written consent of City.
  • p. 7 — Ownership of Documents. All original papers, documents or computer material on disk or microfilm, and copies thereof, produced as a result of this Agreement, shall be the property of City and may not be used by Consultant without the written consent of City.
  • p. 9 — Litigation. If litigation ensues which pertains to the subject matter of Consultant’s services hereunder. Consultant, upon request from City, agrees to testify therein at a reasonable and customary fee
  • p. 9 — October 6, 2020 — Exhibit A: This letter is a follow-up to your discussion yesterday with my colleague, Lee Afflerbach. CTC Technology & Energy is a technology consulting firm that provides Independent support to local governments in support of their evaluation of option[al] wireless deployment . . . As a matter of policy, CTC is Independent of the industry, and not affiliated with equipment manufacturers, cable operators, wireless providers, or tower companies.

  • p. 13 — CTC Team Members

    1. Lee Afflerbach, P.E., CTC principal engineer project manager and day-to-day contact

    2. Michael Afflerbach, Senior Analyst, who will perform on-site testing and technical analyst — not a P.E and not listed here → https://www.ctcnet.us/contact-us/who-we-are/.

      Michael has recently worked in this capacity for the cities of Rancho Palos Verdes, Monterey, and Palos Verdes Estates In California;Afflerbach has worked with the FCC, FAA, and dozens of municipalities and counties to resolve tower and antenna construction and zoning issues with cellular/mobile providers as well as broadcasters. He has been a member of the Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE) since 2011 and received a BA from Saint John’s College (Annapolis) in 1994; he owns three radio towers; Using sophisticated computer modelling and FCC databases, he has worked with local planning and zoning officials to verify coverage areas and identify possible alternatives for non-conforming antenna placements.

    3. Marc Schulhof, Senior Analyst and Technical Writer, who will support the preparation of written deliverables


  • p. 14 — Scope of Work:

    1. Evaluate and process permit applications submitted to the City of Petaluma for
      the construction or modification of wireless facilities.
    2. Extent to which proposed wireless sites are necessary for filling gaps in coverage and capacity, and the significance of such gaps
    3. Review of radio frequency (RF) engineering elements
    4. Evaluating potential alternative locations
    5. Evaluating potential alternative designs
    6. Providing technical engineering support to the City Manager or designee

” We will pay particular attention to the applicant’s planned compliance with RF exposure standards. We will be prepared to review the applicant’s data and include our analysis in our written technical review. We will also be prepared to assist the City with RF coverage predictions, like the one that we recently prepared as part of an engineering evaluation for the City of Sonoma.”

CTC Technology-Produced RF Coverage Map Scam

This CTC Technology-Produced RF Coverage Map is found right in the signed Oct 23, 2020 contract . . . is anyone thinking critically, here? This is exactly how Planning Commissions and City Councils get misled . . . by trusting Professional Engineers (the “Moody’s Bond Rating Agencies” of the Wireless Industry) who are “enablers/indoctrinators” of the needless 4G/5G Densification Agenda — which is actually counter to the legislative intent of the 1996 Telecommunications Act (1996-TCA). Just read the plain language of the law — to figure this out.

Look at What’s Going On . . .
  • The legend reads . . . | -65 dBm or higher | -75 dBm | -85 dBm | -95 dBm | -105 dBm
  • Note: -85 dBm is all the signal strength needed for 5-bars on a cell phone and to provide telecommunications service. Nothing higher is needed.
  • Where are the colors for . . . 0 dBm | -5 dBM | -15 dBM | -25 dBM | -35 dBM | -45 dBM | -55 dBM ???
  • Hmmmm . . . why are there no blue areas on the chart? Why are the other colors for -5 dBM to -75 dBm left off of the chart? See details here to figure out the scam.
Learn More Here . . .

This page is one of three legs of the stool that establishes local control over the operations of Wireless Telecommunications Facilities (WTFs); the other two are the US House/Senate Conference Report for the 1996 Telecommunications Act (“1996-Act”) and the stated purpose of the 1996-Act: to promote the safety of life and property.

  • p. 16 — CTC’s Qualifications: Evaluating and vetting wireless facility siting applications

    1. Vetting applications, including RF propagation studies or drive tests
    2. Identifying colocation options in the vicinity of a proposed site [to determine least instrusive means to close any alleged gap in telecommunications coverage]
  • p. 17 — CTC’s Qualifications: Developing technical and safety standards

    • Our engineers develop and help enforce technical standards to protect the public interest, public safety, public assets, and utility worker safety, including through
    • Ensuring that proposed installations meet ADA requirements
    • Verifying compliance with FCC rules on RF emissions and related warning signage
    • Verifying compliance with local noise level limits for electronic equipment [not just audible noise]
    • Testing RF signals to ensure non-interference with public safety, city, and utility wireless operations

Developing processes to address preemption threats or comply with preemptive laws

In light of ongoing efforts at the state and federal levels to preempt local agency authority in wireless siting and asset use— including the FCC’s recent order “In the Matter of Accelerating Wireless Broadband Deployment by Removing Barriers to Infrastructure Investment” — CTC’s analysts develop strategies for technical compliance with new or potential laws that address policymakers’ desire for new deployment while protecting public assets, interests, and mission critical public infrastructure. Our thought leadership in this area include two recent client briefs:

  1. Link to “Ten Strategies to Protect State and Local Property After the FCC’s Small Cell Preemption Order”
  2. Link to “The Three “Ps” of Managing Small Cell Applications: Process, Process, Process.”
  3. Link to Overview of public broadband options

We advise a dozen California cities (including Sonoma, Napa, Palos Verdes Estates, Piedmont,
Arcadia, Hillsborough, and Rancho Palos Verdes) on standards that minimize the visual impact of wireless facilities while improving mobile coverage . . . For the City of San Francisco, we evaluated the potential design and cost of [Densified 4G/5G] fixed and mobile deployment, including adequate fiber backhaul and use of street furniture.

  • p. 19 — References: We invite the City to contact the following references about the quality of our work.

    1. City of Sonoma, CA – New small cell application evaluation and service testing
      John A. Abaci
      Assistant City Attorney, Walter & Pistole
      jabaci@walterpistole.com, 707-996-9690

    2. City of Piedmont, CA-Small cell project manager, outside counsel team pre-litigation support
      Harriet Steiner
      Partner, BB&K
      Harriet.steiner@bbklaw.com, 916-551-2821

    3. City of Hillsborough, CA-Small cell project manager, outside counsel pre-litigation support
      Gail A. Karish
      Partner, BB&K
      Gail.karish@bbklaw.com

    4. City of Burlingame, CA – New small cell application evaluation
      Kathleen Kane
      City Attorney
      kkane@burlingame.org, 650-558-720

  • p. 20 — Fees and Terms The CTC team will bill at the following hourly rates:
    Labor Category and Hourly Rate

    • Principal Analyst / Engineer — $200
    • Senior Project Analyst / Engineer — $175
    • Senior Analyst / Engineer — $155
    • Staff Analyst / Engineer — $135
    • Communications / Engineer Aide — $9