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' MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br /> Monday,July 8,2013 <br /> 7:00 o'clock p.m. <br /> (9. CABLE TELEVISION FRANCHISE ORDINANCE NO. 110, Continued) <br /> McMillan noted Mediacom is going to be providing the City with three channels that can have local <br /> broadcasting and that the City Council meetings will be broadcast on one of those channels. <br /> Programming from other cities can also be broadcast over those channels. McMillan indicated a lot of <br /> those decisions are yet to be determined. <br /> Scott stated the Mayor makes it sound so easy but that television programming requires a lot of work, <br /> equipment and editing. Scott questioned whether the City would be able to put together a staffto do that. <br /> McMillan noted a lot of the LMCC programming is available on the Internet and a number of people <br /> prefer to watch it on their laptops. McMillan stated the unanswered question at this point is whether the <br /> LMCC would be willing to share some of their programs on the City's channels. McMillan indicated the <br /> City will be talking to the LMCC to see whether they would be willing to share some of that <br /> programming. <br /> Scott asked what would happen if the LMCC goes away because of decisions like this. <br /> McMillan indicated she is not able to speak for the LMCC. McMillan stated as it relates to the customer <br /> service aspect, if a citizen is having difficulty with Mediacom,they would be able to call the City of <br /> Orono. <br /> Scott asked whether additional staff would be hired to deal with customer complaints. <br /> McMillan noted the LMCC has received eight complaints so far this year and three of them were <br /> regarding obtaining service out of the 17 member cities. <br /> Scott noted Southwest Cable went away under similar circumstances and now those cities are looking at <br /> bringing it back. <br /> McMillan stated she understands those cities redid their JPA but that she is not sure what is prompting <br /> that. They currently rent out some space in Bloomington and pay$15,000 a year for use of that studio. <br /> Scott stated she would reiterate that as far as the schools are concerned,the school board meetings and <br /> other events that the LMCC provides for the residents, she finds it a total shame that those events will not <br /> be aired. Scott noted it takes people who are trained to cover those events and to produce the <br /> programming. Scott stated she would plead with the Council to reconsider what they are doing and to <br /> look at trying to work with the LMCC as they have in the past in order to offer all the things that are <br /> currently being offered. <br /> Henry Braningham, County Road 6, stated he currently has no public access and that he is surprised at <br /> how big the areas are that are not currently receiving service. Braningham indicated he has very limited <br /> options and that he currently gets his Internet through his cell phone service,which is very expensive and <br /> slow. Braningham stated he has called the LMCC a number of times over the years to inquire about <br /> service and basically has received nothing. <br /> Braningham stated he does not know about all the money issues and that he is currently not able to watch <br /> any of those special events referred to earlier. Braningham stated in his view this is a good thing for the <br /> people who do not currently receive service. <br /> Page 9 of 13 <br />