Polaris reports on cable services

   HOULTON, Maine — Town councilors heard a report on the status of and future improvement to cable television services during their regular meeting Monday night.
    Gordon Wark, representing Polaris Cable Services, updated the council members with a status report on his company’s Houlton facilities and proposed investments for the year ahead.
According to Wark, Polaris covers nearly 40 miles of Houlton with two-way cable as well as file miles of INet service. In addition, the company provides free service to a number of sites including the town office, the police and fire stations, SAD 29 schools, the Houlton Higher Education Center, SAVE, Battered Women’s Shelter and the library.
During the past year, according to Wark, Polaris Cable has experienced no major system-wide outages of one hour or more. In 2008, he added, the company has proposed capital improvements totaling $380,000.
Local origination TV programming consists of three channels — channel 10 for local origination programming including community events and the Rotary Auction; channel 13 with education programming developed by Houlton High School; and channel 14 for government services including Town Council meetings and the Maine AIRS audio project for the visually impaired.
The council also held a first hearing on proposed modifications to the acreage of the North Road Tax Increment Financing District. The changes would result in a net reduction in current TIF acreage from 520.73 acres to 452.22 acres.
In other business, the Council approved a victualer’s license to Troy and Jennifer Fulton, doing business as Beans & Leaves, Inc., located at 2 Alice Avenue following a public hearing on the application.
Also, councilors approved changes to Houlton’s employee driving policy to prohibit the use of smokeless tobacco products in all town vehicles at all times.
Councilor Sue Tortello updated members on improvements to the children’s section of the Cary Memorial Library and urged volunteers to step forward to assist the local Meals on Wheels program for home-bound seniors.
The next Town Council meeting will be held Monday, April 14 at 6:30 p.m. in the council chambers. All council meetings are open to the public.