Albany City Council voted to renew its franchise agreement with Mediacom Cable, heard first reading of the 2016-17 budget and deferred action on the natural gas franchise agreement at its regular meeting last Tuesday evening, June 7 with five of six members on hand.

City legal advisor Norb Sohm briefly discussed some points about the Mediacom Cable renewal, noting the contract calls for a 10-year agreement, as opposed to a 15-year contract the cable company had originally sought.

The terms also stipulate the company will continue to have a local customer payment center, but will be in a new location around the end of this month.

In a letter to Albany Mayor Nicky Smith pertaining to the change in customer payment location, it read in part, “The purpose of this letter is to inform you that on or around June 30, Mediacom will relocate its local payment center from City Hall to Western Union at 120 Westview Shopping Center in Albany. As a result, Mediacom will no longer require the use of City facilities or the assistance of the City personnel and as such will cease payment of the monthly service fee to the City.”

“Mediacom will provide communication to our customers in the City of Albany via their bill informing them of the new payment center location.”

The franchise basically allows Mediacom to provide cable television service in the city.

The motion to renew the franchise for 10 years was made by Councilman Frankie Stockton and passed by unanimous vote.

Tiffany Kessler, an area field representative for Republican Congressional candidate James Comer of Tompkinsville, was present at last week’s meeting and briefly spoke to the council, saying she thanked local residents for the overwhelming support shown to Comer in the past May primary and said he would be campaigning here again in the fall.

First reading of the proposed 2016-17 fiscal year budget was then held. The budget is slightly higher than the previous year, and includes pay increases for city employees. The budget totaled just over $4 million, compared to a little over $3.9 million this year.

Councilwoman Tonya Thrasher made a motion to approve first reading, with the measure passing 4-1. Council members Stockton, Brad Thrasher and Steve Lawson also voted in favor, councilman Tony Delk voted no and councilman Leland Hicks was not present.

The council will hold a special call meeting this coming Friday afternoon at 2 p.m. at city hall for second and final reading. More details on the budget will be published upon its passage.

Delk said the reason for his “no” vote was because he continues to be opposed to paying the county a fee to provide dispatching services.

The council decided to table first reading of a natural gas franchise renewal to Navitas KY LLC on the recommendation of attorney Sohm. Apparently the company is yet to totally repair some areas along Wood Street in West Albany that had been disturbed by gas line repairs in that area. Mayor Nicky Smith agreed that first reading should be withheld until at least next month’s regular meeting.

The only other item of business to be considered was opening bids on a 1988 Chevy 4×4 pickup that had been declared surplus property.

Three bids were received on the vehicle, with the council voting unanimously to accept the high bid from Bobby Jones in the amount of $923.22.

The next regular meeting of Albany City Council is scheduled for Tuesday, July 5 at 5 p.m. at city hall and is open to the general public.