Wednesday, July 10, 2002
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Wednesday, July 10, 2002 |
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County leaders pass windfall from AT&T cable fines on to customers
By JOHN MUNFORD
Cable customers in unincorporated Fayette County will get a little present when they open their cable bills next month thanks to the Fayette County Board of Commissioners. The bill will include a credit ranging from approximately $9 to $17 representing the fines assessed on AT&T Broadband by the county for violating its franchise agreement, said County Administrator Chris Cofty. The damages were for failing to complete the cable upgrade by a certain date, Cofty added. The county had collected $750 a day for a total of $129,000 in liquidated damages from AT&T officials, Cofty said. But instead of keeping the money for county projects, leaders decided it was best to kick the funds back to local cable subscribers, Cofty said. On Monday, the county and AT&T agreed to have the county return the money in exchange for AT&T issuing the credit on customers' bills in the unincorporated area only, Cofty said. The county has already cut the check and cable customers should see the credit on next month's cable bill, Cofty said. The differences in the credit amounts are because some customers in unincorporated Fayette County are on a different physical cable network than others. But most unincorporated Fayette residents will get the larger $17.70 credit on their bill, Cofty said. While researching the matter, another error was found that netted in another $11,000 being credited to the county, Cofty noted.
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