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March 17, 2000     Volume 1 Number 2     Index

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Better Late than Never

Also later in this paper:
Eighty Percent Cable Coverage by August 31, 2000

In Last Weeks Edition:
Selectmen say NO to Clean Water
Planning Board elects Chairwoman

Jump to March 23rd edition of the Limington Free Press

Better Late than Never...
Town to purchase Video Equipment

   The undisputed voice of the people in the Town of Limington, The Limington Free Press has learned video equipment to tape local town meetings has finally, finally, been ordered.  Sources close to Selectman Maddocks recently told the Limington Free Press that Maddocks has ordered a new Panasonic VHS camera and tripod from a Northeast based video distributor.  The equipment in question was to be bought months and months ago by the selectmen in a mandated vote at the 1999 annual town meeting.  At that meeting, Selectmen Maddocks didn't seem quite clear on the facts of when the money would be available for this purchase, however a local citizen corrected her by bringing it to her attention that $1,206 had all ready been transferred to an escrow account, and it could only be spent for the purchase of video type equipment.  This fact was brought to light through a phone conversation with the local cable access media person Tony Vigue just days before the 1999 town meeting.  The wording by vote required the selectmen to purchase the equipment by July 1999.  Only after another local citizen complained at this year's town meeting, asking the selectmen where the mandated video equipment was, did the Selectmen apparently decide it was finally time to serve the public's will and purchase the equipment.

   This equipment hopefully will be put to good use by taping local Selectmen, Planning Board, Appeals Board, public hearings and other important town meetings for viewing by the local citizens on Limington's public cable access channel.  A better informed public makes better decisions.

contributed by staff reporter

Eighty Percent of Non-cabled Roads in Limington to Receive Cable by the End of August

   Steve Newkirk, Network Manager for Adelphia Cable stated that rebuilding of the cable system was proceeding on schedule and that 80% of the homes on roads in Limington which do not have cable, will receive cable service by August 31 of this year.  The current lack of coverage in Limington was a topic of discussion at the Limington Annual Town on March 4th when Article 57 was presented and then turned down by the voters.  This article would have applied the cable company franchise fee towards Limington's share of the regional Public Access Facility which is being constructed in Hollis.  Some voters were discouraged by the current lack of coverage in the town and may have turned down the article for that reason.  Several meeting participants urged the town to pressure the cable company into providing more coverage.  The statement was made that if the people petitioned enough, we could get better coverage.  Selectman Kathy Maddocks responded about the cable company's policy towards increased coverage: "No, they said 'Take a hike'."
   As a result of the vote, town residents will not be able to participate in using the new facility which is scheduled to open this Fall.

Compiled by Dick Jarrett from the 3/15/00 news release and audio tapes of the 3/4/00 Limington Annual Town Meeting.

Click Here to view more information on cable in Limington.

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