Buck Wargo
CITY HALL -- It's not the battle for the presidency, but Glendale and
Charter Communications are embroiled in a controversy that could
ultimately be decided by a third party.
The City Council is expected today to call on Charter Communications
to give its cable television customers a rebate, alleging the cable
company overcharged for maintenance service. Charter is appealing to the
Federal Communications Commission to side with the company.
Glendale City Manager Jim Starbird has recommended the council order
Charter to adjust its monthly 95-cent charge for wire maintenance service
down to 4 cents a month.
The rebate should go back to Sept. 15, 1998, Starbird said in a report
to the council. Charter has not been able to justify to city staff why
the amount is charged, he said.
"Staff, with the assistance of an outside consultant, have determined
that the charge be deemed unreasonable," the Starbird report stated.
The rebate would amount to about $24 for customers who have the wire
maintenance plan over the last 26 months.
Joe Camicia, vice president of government and public relations for
Charter, said he doesn't understand the city's criticism. The fee is
optional and based on the cost of service, he said.
If a rebate were ordered, the company would probably have to charge
customers an hourly fee for maintenance of customer-owned wiring in the
home, Camicia said. Those who do not pay the monthly fee are now charged
$22.61 an hour.
"We are waiting to hear back from the FCC," Camicia said. "We think we
are in good shape. We are a little surprised the city is getting involved
in something like this. It is an optional service. We are trying to save
people in the long run."
The city has no control over setting cable rates for tier service. It
does have a say over basic cable rates.
IN OTHER ACTION
The Glendale City Council will meet at 6 p.m. today in the council
chambers of City Hall, 613 E. Broadway. The Glendale Housing Authority
will meet at 2:30 p.m. and the Glendale Redevelopment Agency at 3:30 p.m.
The meetings will be televised live on Charter Cable Channel 6. In other
action, the council will consider:
* approving an ordinance for land use of The Walt Disney Co. campus
expansion.
* as the Housing Authority, approving a plan for opening the
application process for Section 8 housing.
* as the Redevelopment Agency, a request for qualifications to solicit
firms for developing the Town Center site.
* setting a stipend for workers for the Glendale city election on
April 3.
* improvements for Pennsylvania Avenue between Markridge Road to 680
feet south of Encinal Avenue.
* awarding a contract to install a fiber optics line linking Glendale
and Burbank.
* awarding a contract for a microwave communication system
replacement.
