1997-01-27 Regular Meeting of City Council

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. . Minutes Regular Meeting La Porte City Council January 27, 1997, Page 2 4. PRESENTATION: TCI CABLE COMPANY - RECEIVE REPORT FROM TCI CABLE REPRESENTATIVES REGARDING. SERVICE ISSUES; INCLUDING CHANNEL ALIGNMENT, PROGRAMMING, AND PUBLIC ACCESS - K. Askins Ms. Valora Spencer. representative for TCI Cable Company Government Affairs Division, presented a report and update regarding TCI services to the City of La Porte. Ms. Spencer apologized, in behalf of TCI Cable. for recent confusion and inconveniences to La Porte citizens regarding channel alignment changes and programming issues. She reported a Denver printer was given the job of printing the updated channel line-ups, and the company was unable to get them mailed in a timely manner. Ms. Spencer indicated that all of these issues are being addressed by TCI corporate offices in Denver, Colorado, and possibly TCI may be able to put back in service those preferred programs. She indicated that hopefully in the immediate future she will be able to give the La Porte citizens a concrete decision as far as what will happened with La Porte's cable line up. Ms. Spencer reported the Public Access Channel, Channel 65, is being shared with City of La Porte. San Jacinto College, The Community Bulletin Board, and Odyssey which was Faith and Values at one time. She indicated that San Jacinto College and the City of La Porte will be welcome to use Channel 65 twenty four hours a day if they so choose. The Community Bulletin Board is currently running approximately three hours a day from 2:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M., and TCI can increase that amount of time at the City's discretion. Ms. Spencer indicated she has been working with Chris Evans at San Jacinto College, and he seems pleased with the way everything is working. Ms. Spencer indicated it is her understanding the City Fire Marshall is providing binders of La Porte community information to Mike Sprague at TCI Cable for him to place on the Community Bulletin Board. Ms. Spencer indicated TCl's legal department in Denver is reviewing the Franchise Agreement which the City of La Porte had with Prime Cable at the time Prime was purchased by TCI Cable. She indicated twenty five hundred people have been terminated from the TCI Cable Company, and the remaining personnel are doing several jobs which has delayed the progress in Denver as well as in the Houston area. Ms. Spencer said she hoped company representatives will be able to meet with City Attorney Knox Askins in a week or two regarding the up coming renewal of the Franchise Agreement between TCI Cable Company and the City of La Porte which has presently been extended until June of 1997. Ms. Spencer and City Attorney Askins answered questions from Council regarding the Franchise Agreement. Mr. Askins reported TCI is presently operating under the former Prime Cable Agreement language regarding gross receipts, tax, and public access. Councilperson Porter asked Ms. Spencer about TCl's time line for completing their review of the agreement. Ms. Spencer reported an Attorney named Shelby Brown has been hired by TCI Cable as the Governments Affairs Manager along with herself. She stated, "We will rush it through as best as we can." Ms. Spencer and City Attorney Knox Askins answered other concerns by Council. Ms. Spencer reported that TCI Cable had tried to place channels on cable that would be more family oriented. She gave Council a phone number to call if they have questions about specific preferences for channels. 1-800-800-2824. The mailing address is TCI Cable, 5619 DTC Parkway, Englewood. Colorado. 80111. Mr. Herrera had comments regarding the Public Access Channel and problems the City has been having with TCI in getting materials on that channel. Mr. Herrera introduced Fire Marshall Paul Hickenbottom to Ms. Spencer, and he asked Ms.