Greetings James,<div><br></div><div>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</div>
<div>is expected that the results of the ongoing negotiations will produce a new agreement that will maintain or improve the existing service.<br></div><div><br></div><div>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.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Best wishes,</div><div><br></div><div>Vern<br><div><br>On Sunday, March 16, 2014, James D. Holmes <<a href="mailto:jdholmes@comcast.net">jdholmes@comcast.net</a>> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div text="#000000" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
Mayor Archer<br>
<br>
I am reading the agenda for Special Legislative Meeting for Monday
March 17, 2014 and noticed that the following Legislative Action
Item.<br>
<br>
3. Introduction of <b>Emergency Ordinance 2014-OR-02</b> to
amend the franchise agreement with Comcast of Maryland.<br>
<br>
<br>
Why is the Town introducing an <b>Emergency Ordinance</b> 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.<br>
<br>
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 <b>Emergency Ordinance</b> to prevent the current
contract from expiring on April 5, 2014.<br>
<br>
Additionally, is the Town planning to correct a problem with the
unequal franchise fees being collected between Comcast and Verizon?<br>
<br>
Comcast has collected up to <b>6.5%</b> of the Cable TV Bill vs.
Verizon collecting <b>5% </b>.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
Over the past 10 years, Comcast has increased the Cable TV charges
over <b>88%</b>. What has the Town done to protect the residents
from these unjustified increases?<br>
<br>
<br>
J. Holmes<br>
<br>
<br>
<div><br>
<br>
-------- Original Message --------
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th nowrap valign="BASELINE" align="RIGHT">Subject:
</th>
<td>[RP TownTalk] Special Legislative Meeting Agenda: March
17, 2014</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th nowrap valign="BASELINE" align="RIGHT">Date: </th>
<td>Fri, 14 Mar 2014 12:10:25 -0400</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th nowrap valign="BASELINE" align="RIGHT">From: </th>
<td>Jessica Barnes <a href="javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','jbarnes@riverdaleparkmd.gov');" target="_blank"><jbarnes@riverdaleparkmd.gov></a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th nowrap valign="BASELINE" align="RIGHT">To: </th>
<td><a href="javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','townannounce@riverdale-park.org');" target="_blank"><townannounce@riverdale-park.org></a>,
<a href="javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','towntalk@riverdale-park.org');" target="_blank"><towntalk@riverdale-park.org></a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br>
<br>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Town of Riverdale Park<u></u><u></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Special Legislative Meeting <u></u><u></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>March 17, 2014<u></u><u></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>8:00 p.m.<u></u><u></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u></u> <u></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>AGENDA<u></u><u></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u></u> <u></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Call to Order<u></u><u></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Approval of Agenda<u></u><u></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Public Comments on Non-Agenda Items<u></u><u></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u></u> <u></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Legislative Action Items:<u></u><u></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<ol style="margin-top:0in" start="1" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal">Motion
to reject bid response to the Town of Riverdale Park RFP for
the Town Hall Addition project<u></u><u></u></li>
</ol>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<ol style="margin-top:0in" start="2" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal">Motion
to waive bid requirements and award a contract to McInturff
Architects in the amount of $127,000 for schematic design of
Town Hall<u></u><u></u></li>
</ol>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<ol style="margin-top:0in" start="3" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal">Introduction
of Emergency Ordinance 2014-OR-02 to amend the franchise
agreement with Comcast of Maryland<u></u><u></u></li>
</ol>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>New Business <u></u><u></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Unfinished Business <u></u><u></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Adjournment <u></u><u></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>Jessica<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"">Jessica
E. Barnes<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"">Town
Clerk<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"">Riverdale
Park<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"">5008
Queensbury Road<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"">Riverdale
Park, MD 20737<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif""><a href="http://www.riverdaleparkmd.info/" target="_blank">www.riverdaleparkmd.info</a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"">301-927-6381<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
</div>
<br>
</div>
<br>
</div>
</blockquote></div></div><br><br>-- <br>Vernon Archer, Mayor<br>Town of Riverdale Park, Maryland<br>