Progress Reported in Talks on Cable Pact

Officials with the city and Avenue TV Cable said Wednesday that they hope to have a tentative contract renewal worked out by April 1.

“I think we’re making some progress,” Mary Walsh, deputy city manager, said after a second day of negotiations.

Avenue General Manager Steve George said he now has a clearer idea of what the city seeks from his company and the city’s other cable provider, Century Communications, which has not yet begun negotiations.

The city wants the cable companies to improve their systems to provide digital TV and Internet service, additional public access channels and free internal government Internet access.

Although no agreements have been reached, George said his company can now determine the cost of what the city wants.

“We’ve taken the first step,” he said. “I think we had a lot more in common than we thought.”

Both Walsh and George said there was a reduced likelihood that Avenue would file a lawsuit against the city.

Councilman Jack Tingstrom said he was pleased that the litigation threat was diminishing.

“I don’t think that’s going to solve anything,” Tingstrom said. “All it does is pit the city against the business.”