WARREN Panel has suggestions for cable agreement

The public seems generally satisfied with the service.
By AMANDA C. DAVIS
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- A host of recommendations regarding the city's cable television service will form the basis of negotiations over the next year.
The franchise agreement with Time Warner Cable expires in February 2003. The city has hired a Cleveland attorney to help hammer out a new one.
Atty. Todd Hunt from Walter & amp; Haverfield told council Wednesday that the city started addressing cable needs more than a year ago and formed a 12-member task force to rate the service and discuss future needs.
The task force includes representatives from the educational, religious and business communities; people of all ages, from high school students to retirees.
A citizen survey was also sent out to gauge public opinion on Time Warner service, and public hearings were conducted.
Hunt, who specializes in cable franchise agreements, said the community seems generally satisfied.
Recommendations: The committee has said it wants a state-of-the-art cable system that's regularly updated.
It would also like Time Warner to offer qualifying senior citizens a 10 percent discount.
An emergency alert system is another recommendation, one that would give police a way to let citizens know of a crisis in the city or in a particular neighborhood.
This would include snow emergencies, hazardous spills or road closings.
Another suggestion is that Time Warner offer a quality public education and government access channel to air local events, school programs and city and county functions.
The committee has also said that 15 years, the length of the current franchise agreement, is too long.
Hunt said Time Warner pays the city a 5 percent fee on gross revenues that amounts to about $238,000 this year and about $370,000 next year.
The money goes into the city's general fund.
The current franchise was established with TCI Cablevision in 1988 and was recently transferred to Time Warner. It serves 14,000 households.
davis@vindy.com