06-24-98 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUT~S CITY COUNCIL JUNE 24, 1998 system which is second to none. Regarding the issue of undergrounding and what is involved in the upgrade of the cable TV system, Gibbs reported that the system is upgraded to 750 megahurst by upgrading the electrical swiCChes. The systems is i~oC being rebuilt, but rather electronics switched out and the addition of fiber made. The existing coaxia] cable will be 100% used and is needed in the upgraded system. Five miles of fiber cable will be added, but all the exisYin~r coaxial cable will continue to be used. Gibbs further reported that should the company discover any coaxial cable thlt is bad, it will be repllced and the old cable removed. Fahey asked if the only purpose f'or some of the coaxial cable will be as a guy wire for the fiber. Gibbs re}~Iietl that that is not correct, all the coaxial cable will be used to send signals blck and forth. Gibbs indicated that there will be no dead lines left, ai~d acla~owled~ed that this is not consistent witl~ the information thlt was presented at some of the workshop meetings. There will be five miles of aerial pllns added which will be wrapped into the grouping of coaxial cable which is already in place. Gibbs demonstrated how this fiber will Iool< along with the existing coaxiai cable. Fahey pointed out the Council's previous discussio~~ ofthe undergrounding of cable, and pointed out that the City's ordinance requires the buryin~ of new construction. Gibbs pointed out that there are currently 24 miles of aerial cable in Little Canada. Media One is proposing to add Smiles of tiber to the existing overhead coaxial cable. If that fiUer were required to be underground, the overliead coaxial would still exist, pl~~s the company would have to install a pedest2l at elch telephone pole fa~ the fiber. If the fiber were added to the exiting overhead }~lant, tl~e aesthetics of tl~e area will not chan~e. Gibbs went on Yo explain that the cost of undergrowiding the system is very expensive. Spreading this cost over the IS-year fianchise would result in an additional cost of $329 per month per custo~ner. Additionally, the process would be very disruptive to neigliborhoods. Morelan pointed out th~t NSP charges an ~dditional ~4 per monYh to customers to simply bury the line to the home. Fahey sugbested tllat noC m~ich was accoinplished in requirin~ Media One to bw~y their plant if utility poles are not eliminated. Fahey questioned the need to require Media One to bury its Iines if other utilities are not required to bury tl~ere's tis well. F1hey pointed ouY that the City will be redevelo}~ing the Rice Street/Little Canada'Ro1d area, and will be 13