TWC says WBNS not returning
Published 11:01 pm Saturday, February 28, 2009
Don’t look for WBNS television to be back on your Time Warner Cable lineup.
TWC General Manager Russ Pomfrey told Ironton City Council Thursday it’s not going to happen.
Pompfrey said he understands customers’ desires to view the Columbus station because it offers more Ohio news than other local television stations, but TWC needs the band width once occupied by WBNS to provide more high definition channels.
Mayor Rich Blankenship and other concerned citizens met with TWC executives recently in hopes of persuading them to restore WBNS to its lineup.
“We didn’t take lightly this evaluation,” Pomfrey said.
Losing WBNS has been an often heated issue at previous council meetings, with some city residents threatening to scrap their cable service and order satellite service instead.
Also Thursday, city council suspended the rules and gave second and third reading to and final adoption of the 2009 budget. The spending plan includes increases in water and garbage rates. Resolutions to enact those increases were given second and third reading as well.
The vote to hike the fees was 6-1 with council president Bob Cleary voting against it and fellow members Butch Huff, Leo Johnson, Frank Murphy, Mike Lutz, Chuck O’Leary and Kevin Waldo voting for it.
Beginning this month, trash collection rates will increase to $10.50 a month There are also 50-cent hikes at the beginning of 2010 and 2011.
The charge for water will now be $4.70 per 1,000 gallons. There will also be a 30-cent hike each year for 2010 and 2011. Combined sewer overflow and sanitary sewer service will remain the same.