City OKs cable TV rate hikes, adds new HBO, Cinemax content services

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio

Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2015, 12:30 a.m. — The Bardstown City Council gave final approval of a rate hikes that city and county subscribers to its Basic Cable TV service. The rate increases were introduced earlier this month after local TV network affiliates raised their fees for carrying their content on the city cable system.

Jeff Mills, the city’s electrical engineer, discusses the expansion of its OnDemand and InDemand cable TV services.

Basic Cable TV subscribers in the city limits will see their monthly bill increase from $16.45 a month to $18.86 a month this year. The monthly rate jumps to $19.76 in 2016 and $20.79 in 2017.

Subscribers in the county will see their rates increase as well. Existing county subscribers will soon see their monthly Basic Cable TV rate increase from $21.20 to $23.61. In 2016 the rate jumps to $24.51, and increases to $25.54 in 2017.

Expanded Cable user of High Definition Tier will see their monthly rate increase from $6.95 to $10.90.

HBO, CINEMAX, ONDEMAND, INDEMAND. The council also gave the mayor authorization to renew the HBO and Cinemax contracts for the city cable TV system, and to enter into agreements for HBO and Cinemax OnDemand. The move will also allow city cable subscribers to access HBO and Cinemax content’s “on-the-go” services.

From left, Mayor John Royalty administers the oath of office to City Clerk Barbie Bryant, Mike Abell, chief financial officers, Police Chief Rick McCubbin, and Fire Chief Marlin Howard.

The council also approved InDemand, the city’s pay-per-view provider that will offer cable subscribers access to additional content.

HISTORIC REVIEW BOARD. The council approved there Certificates of Appropriateness in the city’s historic district.

T&T Feeds, located in the former Ice’s Produce building at 117 W. Stephen Foster, requested approval of a new sign with the new business name. The sign will be the same sizes as the one it replaces.

The council approved the HRB recommendation to allow Pat’s Place 125 N. Third St. to remove two of the four existing signs at the businesses. Two large signs were installed as lettering on each window without application to the HRB. During the HRB review, it was found that the front and back door each had an additional sign. The HRB recommended the business select which two signs it wishes to keep and remove the other two.

The council also approved the HRB’s recommendation to allow K&N Investments to place a sign at Kenny’s Center, 458 East Stephen Foster.

In other business, the council:

— approved giving the mayor authorization to apply for a Kentucky Heritage Council grant of $21,442.50. The money will be used to continue work on catalog city buildings 50 years old and older.

— approved reappointing Johnny Warren to a three-year term on the Bardstown-Nelson County Tourist Commission; Rick Caldwell to a three-year term on the city’s tree board; and Teddy Crume and Wes Parrish to three-year terms on the Development Review Board.

— approved Nick Kipper’s three-year appointment to the city Tree board and Chuck Russman’s one-year term on the Joint Recreation Board;

— conducted a swearing-in ceremony for the city clerk, chief financial officer, police chief and fire chief.

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