COLUMBIANA COUNCIL Comcast reps' visit less than neighborly

A Comcast official apologized for a letter the company sent.
By NANCY TULLIS
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
COLUMBIANA -- With cable franchise agreement negotiations in progress, Comcast representatives did not receive the neighborly welcome they hoped for at a city council meeting.
Mike Smith, director of corporate affairs, introduced himself and two other executives of the cable company. He told council and the public present that they were just stopping in town for a brief visit Tuesday to introduce themselves.
Smith told of scholarships for high school students and other programs Comcast has sponsored in the community, and some of the company's plans for high-speed Internet access and other services.
Mayor's question
Mayor Lowell Schloneger questioned whether the cable company representatives' appearance was because the franchise agreement negotiations are about to move from informal to formal.
Schloneger said someone from the company sent a letter and then follow-up phone calls to himself and some council members. He said both the letter and the phone calls were rude and threatening.
Councilman Don Leonard had his copy of the letter at the meeting, and Smith read it at Schloneger's request.
Smith apologized that the council and mayor interpreted the letter as a threat. The letter stated that the cost of basic service would increase 82 percent and other services would increase $10 per month plus the cost of the franchise fee if the cable company implemented all of the city's service requests.
Schloneger and some council members briefly discussed problems with customer service and said city officials have been told by residents that the cable company has ignored customers' requests.
Problem
Schloneger said one problem is that the businesses in the industrial park need high-speed Internet services, and cable representatives have repeatedly said the service is not available in the area.
Councilman Devin Witt said council is to vote on what to do about the cable company's proposal at the Sept. 17 meeting, and it was inappropriate for council or the cable representatives to discuss service issues at the public meeting.
The city's cable franchise agreement with AT & amp;T expired in June 2002.
Comcast bought out AT & amp;T's cable service in the midst of Columbiana negotiations.
Smith said the buyout has slowed the negotiations.