[RP TownTalk] Fwd: Re: Special Legislative Meeting Agenda: March 17, 2014
James D. Holmes
jdholmes at comcast.net
Mon Mar 17 16:23:54 UTC 2014
Jeffrey
You avoided answering my question! Just like the Mayor and Council has!
*Do you think it is fair that residents of Riverdale Park pay a
different amount for the Cable TV Franchise Fee depending on who they
subscribe to (Comcast or Verizon)?*
As for reining in the cost for cable TV. Chapter 61-11 of the Town Code
gives the authority to do so.
*§ 61-11. Acts beneficial to subscribers.**
**The town shall be empowered to include as part of any franchise such
terms and conditions as it deems beneficial to the subscribers in the
franchise area, including the regulation of rates charged to such
subscribers*
Dwight Holmes has brought up another concern:
Personally, I'm much more concerned about the impending merger of
Comcast with Time-Warner and its impact on rates. I hope everyone lets
their representatives know what they think of that.
I disagree with you about the need to only discuss issues at the Town
Meetings. This web site is funded by the Town and is the perfect place
for discussion of Town business. If it was only used to locate lost
pets and advertise exercise classes, I would object that Town funds be
allocated for the web site.
*Does anyone have a copy of the proposed Ordinance 2014-OR-02?**
*
I hope the Council has not taken the position *You have to Pass the Bill
so that you can find out what's in it!*
J. Holmes
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [RP TownTalk] Special Legislative Meeting Agenda: March
17, 2014
Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2014 11:24:01 -0400
From: Jeffrey Yorke <yorkedial at gmail.com>
To: James D. Holmes <jdholmes at comcast.net>
James,
I am glad you are participating. But expecting Town Council to do
business on Town Talk betrays a certain lack of understanding of what
this medium is all about. Sure, you can initiate discussion here, but
the real questions, probing and discussion needs to be done in a public
town meeting -- TONIGHT. You need to be there, in person, and participate.
Frankly, I don't there there are too many people who disagree with you.
Both Comcast, or Comcost as I like to call them, and Verizon FiOS are
way too expensive and are out of control. If there is anyway that
someone -- even government can rein them in, let's see it happen. But it
is hard.
I was a reporter covering communications on Capitol Hill when Sen. John
McCain (R-AZ) was ranking member of the Senate Commerce Committee. He
and the committee tried desperately to get the cable cabal to offer ala
carte programming to customers rather than huge, expensive packages. The
cable cats said it wasn't possible. When Sirius Satellite Radio wanted
to buy direct competitor XM Satellite Radio, Sen. Kohl (D-WI) made the
same request for ala carte programming to Sirius Chairman Mel Karmazin.
"No problem," said Karmazin and by the next Senate hearing, the
committee was presented with an acceptable package. But it hasn't
happened with cable yet and Congress can't seem to get out of it's own
way. And cable and internet service aren't pressing issues nationally.
That said, the best weapon a Town like Riverdale Park has is not it's
Town Council but its citizens. Loud, focused, powerful citizens.
Tonight, be there. You will be surprised how members of the Council
would love to have your energy working on this problem. And I agree with
you -- it is a problem.
Jeffrey
On Mon, Mar 17, 2014 at 10:30 AM, James D. Holmes <jdholmes at comcast.net
<mailto:jdholmes at comcast.net>> wrote:
Jeffrey
I am participating. I have asked several questions that our elected
officials refuse to answer. I have requested that the Mayor create
a Riverdale Park Cable TV Franchise Committee to represent the
residents. He refuses! The Town collected approximately $50.000 in
franchise fees last year, yet the residents have no
representation/protection from the undue rate increases from the
cable TV companies.
Do you think it is fair that residents of Riverdale Park pay a
different amount for the Cable TV Franchise Fee depending on who
they subscribe to (Comcast or Verizon)?
This issue needs to be discussed.
Let's see if anyone from the Council will join in on this discussion.
J. Holmes
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [RP TownTalk] Fwd: Re: [RP Town Announce] Special
Legislative Meeting Agenda: March 17, 2014
Date: Sun, 16 Mar 2014 19:07:00 -0400
From: Jeffrey Yorke <yorkedial at gmail.com> <mailto:yorkedial at gmail.com>
To: James D. Holmes <jdholmes at comcast.net>
<mailto:jdholmes at comcast.net>
For the life of me, I don't understand where you got that. He is
BEGGING you to participate.
So do it!
Jeffrey Yorke
Yorke Partners
Yorkedial at gmail.com <mailto:Yorkedial at gmail.com>
Jeffrey at YorkeRents.com <mailto:Jeffrey at YorkeRents.com>
(301) 502-1243 <tel:%28301%29%20502-1243>
On Mar 16, 2014, at 7:01 PM, "James D. Holmes" <jdholmes at comcast.net
<mailto:jdholmes at comcast.net>> wrote:
> Mayor Archer
>
> Are you stating that my listed concerns will not be addressed by
> the Council unless I appear at the meeting tomorrow night?
>
>
> J. Holmes
>
>
>
>
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: Re: [RP Town Announce] Special Legislative Meeting
> Agenda: March 17, 2014
> Date: Sun, 16 Mar 2014 18:51:05 -0400
> From: Vernon Archer <varcher at gmail.com> <mailto:varcher at gmail.com>
> To: James D. Holmes <jdholmes at comcast.net>
> <mailto:jdholmes at comcast.net>
> CC: towntalk at riverdale-park.org
> <mailto:towntalk at riverdale-park.org> <towntalk at riverdale-park.org>
> <mailto:towntalk at riverdale-park.org>
>
>
>
> Greetings James,
>
> The emergency ordinance is being introduced to extend the existing
> franchise agreement until the ongoing negotiations are completed.
> The town is acting in good faith to insure that all cable
> customers are able to continue their existing service. It
> is expected that the results of the ongoing negotiations will
> produce a new agreement that will maintain or improve the existing
> service.
>
> We will be discussing this matter tomorrow night at the council
> meeting and I as always welcome you and all residents to bring
> your questions and comments to the council.
>
> Best wishes,
>
> Vern
>
> On Sunday, March 16, 2014, James D. Holmes <jdholmes at comcast.net
> <mailto:jdholmes at comcast.net>> wrote:
>
> Mayor Archer
>
> I am reading the agenda for Special Legislative Meeting for
> Monday March 17, 2014 and noticed that the following
> Legislative Action Item.
>
> 3. Introduction of *Emergency Ordinance 2014-OR-02* to
> amend the franchise agreement with Comcast of Maryland.
>
>
> Why is the Town introducing an *Emergency Ordinance* to amend
> the franchise agreement with Comcast of Maryland? The Town had
> posted a notice in March 2012 under Resolution 2012-R-02 to
> participate in joint negotiations with other Prince George's
> County and municipalities for the renewal of the Town's cable
> franchise with Comcast.
>
> If you had appointed a Riverdale Park Cable TV Franchise
> Committee to oversee the renewal of this contract, there would
> be no need to introduce an *Emergency Ordinance* to prevent
> the current contract from expiring on April 5, 2014.
>
> Additionally, is the Town planning to correct a problem with
> the unequal franchise fees being collected between Comcast and
> Verizon?
>
> Comcast has collected up to *6.5%* of the Cable TV Bill vs.
> Verizon collecting *5% *.
>
> The Riverdale Park Franchise Fee should be set at a maximum 5%
> flat fee for the Cable TV portion of the monthly bill. No
> other fees should be added.
>
> Over the past 10 years, Comcast has increased the Cable TV
> charges over *88%*. What has the Town done to protect the
> residents from these unjustified increases?
>
>
> J. Holmes
>
>
>
>
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: [RP TownTalk] Special Legislative Meeting Agenda:
> March 17, 2014
> Date: Fri, 14 Mar 2014 12:10:25 -0400
> From: Jessica Barnes <jbarnes at riverdaleparkmd.gov>
> To: <townannounce at riverdale-park.org>,
> <towntalk at riverdale-park.org>
>
>
>
> *Town of Riverdale Park*
>
> *Special Legislative Meeting *
>
> *March 17, 2014*
>
> *8:00 p.m.*
>
> **
>
> *AGENDA*
>
> **
>
> *Call to Order*
>
> *Approval of Agenda*
>
> *Public Comments on Non-Agenda Items*
>
> **
>
> *Legislative Action Items:*
>
> 1. Motion to reject bid response to the Town of Riverdale
> Park RFP for the Town Hall Addition project
>
> 2. Motion to waive bid requirements and award a contract to
> McInturff Architects in the amount of $127,000 for
> schematic design of Town Hall
>
> 3. Introduction of Emergency Ordinance 2014-OR-02 to amend
> the franchise agreement with Comcast of Maryland
>
> *New Business *
>
> *Unfinished Business *
>
> *Adjournment *
>
> Jessica
>
> Jessica E. Barnes
>
> Town Clerk
>
> Riverdale Park
>
> 5008 Queensbury Road
>
> Riverdale Park, MD 20737
>
> www.riverdaleparkmd.info <http://www.riverdaleparkmd.info/>
>
> 301-927-6381 <tel:301-927-6381>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> Vernon Archer, Mayor
> Town of Riverdale Park, Maryland
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> TownTalk mailing list
> To post to the list, send mail to TownTalk at riverdale-park.org
> <mailto:TownTalk at riverdale-park.org>
> TownTalk-request at riverdale-park.org
> <mailto:TownTalk-request at riverdale-park.org> is for automated
> subscription processing only
> http://riverdale-park.org/mailman/listinfo/towntalk
>
> For more information about Riverdale Park, visit
> http://www.riverdaleparkmd.info
_______________________________________________
TownTalk mailing list
To post to the list, send mail to TownTalk at riverdale-park.org
<mailto:TownTalk at riverdale-park.org>
TownTalk-request at riverdale-park.org
<mailto:TownTalk-request at riverdale-park.org> is for automated
subscription processing only
http://riverdale-park.org/mailman/listinfo/towntalk
For more information about Riverdale Park, visit
http://www.riverdaleparkmd.info
--
Jeffrey Yorke
Yorke Property Management, Inc.
Yorke Partners
Jeffrey at YorkeRents.com
301-502-1243
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://riverdale-park.org/pipermail/towntalk/attachments/20140317/89292107/attachment.html>
More information about the TownTalk
mailing list