HUBBARD CITY COUNCIL Mayor pitches idea for city-owned cable TV to cut residents' rates

The city soon will seek bids for the construction of the new safety center.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
HUBBARD -- City improvements already include more sidewalks, paved streets and a new police station, but stay tuned because city-owned cable TV could be on the way.
Money from a 0.5 percent increase in city income tax, which passed in November, is paying for the additional sidewalks and other improvements but Mayor Art Magee says he wants to give residents more.
"I want to give people reasons to stay here and I think improving the city and finding ways they can save money, like reduced cable bills, is one of those reasons," Magee said.
During Monday's regular council meeting, Magee told council that he went to Wadsworth last week to talk to officials there about their city-owned cable service.
An 'awesome' program
"I loved it," Magee said. "The program is awesome. If we did this we could cut our residents' cable bills in half. Residents there pay about $20 a month for basic cable and about $40 for the Internet service."
Wadsworth officials are willing to help city officials start a similar program, Magee said.
"I'm planning to have them here in a few months to tell us what we need to do so that we can do this too," the mayor said. "We have lots of senior citizens here that really like having cable and they should be able to have it at an affordable price."
In other matters, council passed first readings on four resolutions advertising for bids for the new safety center, which will house the city's police department. The city will be seeking bids for plumbing, electrical, heating and general construction work for the building.
The new safety service facility will be on School Street, a block north of the current center, the mayor said.
sinkovich@vindy.com.