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City Council to Discuss Cable Franchise Agreement TodayBy Amber Lester Kennedy Thursday, May 12, 2011 Williamsburg City Council will host a public hearing to discuss signing a franchise agreement with Cox Communications at its meeting Thursday. Over the past several months, staff has been negotiating a cable franchise agreement with Cox Communications, whose existing franchise agreement expired in March. Council will discuss the provisions in the proposed franchise agreement at 2 p.m. in the City Council Chambers of the Stryker Building. The proposed agreement includes a franchise period of 10 years, with one extension of five years, and will introduce subscriber fees to pay for costs associated with broadcasting three public, educational and governmental channels. The “PEG” fee would be $0.50 per subscriber per month for the first year of the franchise, increasing incrementally in subsequent years at the discretion of City Council at a rate of no more than $0.10 per year up to $0.80 per subscriber per month. The city is also proposing amending its code to require franchisees to pay an additional recurring fee of 1.5 percent of the cable operator’s gross revenues from its cable system in the city when it begins to offer service, also to support the costs of PEG facilities. The agreement also stipulates that Cox will provide cable service to all municipal buildings and schools, and must install all new or replacement equipment underground in the Historic Area. Equipment added to new areas of service must also be placed underground, and when other utilities are placed underground, Cox must follow suit. Read the details of the franchise agreement proposal here. At the same meeting, council will consider whether or not to fund an analysis to determine the need for live and/or work space for creative professionals. In May 2010, the city’s Core Group on the Arts and Creative Economy recommended the city conduct a study to explore opportunities for Colonial Williamsburg, the College of William and Mary, the Williamsburg Visual Art Center and other arts organizations to benefit from the survey. City staff is recommending the city fund a study, to be conducted by ArtSpace in late summer for $42,500. Four funding partners – Chesapeake Bank, the College of William and Mary, Colonial Williamsburg and the Greater Williamsburg Chamber and Tourism Alliance – have agreed to contribute $16,000 to the cost. Additionally, the EDA and a sixth funding partner are considering participation. If approved, the study would be completed with assistance from Economic Development Director Michele DeWitt; the Economic Development Authority; and Bob Singley, real estate broker and a member of the Arts Core Group. To see a memo outlining more information on the study, click here. |
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Comments
(Has anybody ever come up with a justification for the existence at all of E!? So many Kardashians, so little value.)
I'd like to use an antenna, but I live in a condo. With the neighbors and board of directors here I'd pretty much would have to use an indoor antenna to keep the peace and from what I can tell, we're just too far away for an indoor antenna.
Anybody have any better info/alternativ es?
Cox charges phenomenally high rates (as does Dominion Electric), which is tolerated, compared to other more savvy parts of the country. In Ca I paid half the rate charged here, and have refused Cox services due to that, and their falsified bills for my account. They charged me $228. a few years ago for claimed use after I'd gone to Ca and had my electricity turned off! I had returned their rented equipment in August'09, and told them to cease their services until I wanted to resume them again, as I did other utility companies. Yet they persisted in claiming the charge was valid! I use an antenna since my return here, quite satisfactorily, rather than incur further gouging costs for TV.
Dominion insists upon using weather reports to substantiate their high charges, despite my insistence that I don't use heat, as a medical condition makes it uncomfortable for me. I wear sweaters inside and occasionally a light jacket. Nevertheless the claims that my meter demonstrated higher usage, persist. Last week an "investigator" came to my home spouting the same
line about the weather and said even turning the thermostat to the off position doesn't stop heat from being generated (!!!???!!!). He suggested that I place the electrical breakers to their off position in addition to turning the thermostat off.
Interestingly he happily reported that my usage is down, this month. "That's odd", I said," as it's been unseasonably hot and I've been using air conditioning all the time now". He looked perplexed. My bill here is four times that in CA, where I stay by the ocean and need no air conditioning as summers are quite foggy there.
Even water costs are falsified through "minimal use" billing. No matter how much water is used, there is an amount reflecting higher costs through "averaging" use and billing homes that amount whether the water costs are as charged, or not!
For heaven's sake, wake up to this outrage, here!
Consumers ought to be aware that they are being "had" by these companies, and fight back.
I appeared at their last meeting with the Supervisors and reported their unsavory billing practices, and probably will go again now.