- 5 - solicited petitioner’s proposed collection alternative. Finally, the settlement officer requested petitioner’s telephone number for the purpose of holding the hearing. Petitioner responded to this last request on October 14, 2004, leaving the settlement officer a voice mail message with petitioner’s telephone number and a request for a 5-day postponement of the hearing. On October 18, 2004, petitioner sent a telefax to the settlement officer, reiterating his request for a postponement of the hearing scheduled for the next day, and then spoke with the settlement officer by telephone that same day. In the telephone conversation, petitioner informed the settlement officer that petitioner’s representative, Mr. Paul, needed more time to prepare for the hearing and that Mr. Paul would explain petitioner’s position and why petitioner had not furnished respondent with additional information that had been requested. The settlement officer reiterated that respondent’s Appeals Office would not consider matters that courts have determined are frivolous or groundless and that the hearing would focus on collection alternatives, petitioner’s compliance, and any nonfrivolous arguments. The parties agreed that petitioner would telephone the settlement officer by October 25, 2004, to reschedule the hearing. Neither petitioner nor Mr. Paul communicated with the settlement officer by October 25, 2004. On October 27, 2004,Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 NextLast modified: November 10, 2007