Contending they have “fired a bullet” at the village’s cable TV provider, Tinley Park officials have tentatively approved a 15-year contract that reduces their overall commitment by at least two years.
The agreement comes after lengthy negotiations with Time Warner Cable that became snagged over the length of the contract. Tinley Park officials had sought a 10-year pact renewable for five years, while Time Warner required at least a 15-year renewal dating from the approval of the new contract.
Instead, the village rolled the contract period back to 1995, which is when the previous contract expired. Therefore, the new pact will expire in March 2010, said Trustee Ken Fulton, adding he believes the extension is an acceptable compromise.
“The board is pretty well satisfied,” Fulton said. “We gave them a 15-year renewal, but at the same time, it comes up for review in 2010, which is as soon as I would wish on my successor.”
The contract is expected to come before the board for final approval on Jan. 6. Time Warner then would have 20 days to accept it.
Mayor Ed Zabrocki said even if the contract is ratified, Tinley Park still can offer a second cable franchise to residents.
“Basically, we fired a bullet,” Zabrocki said.
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Fulton said the new contract also calls for Time Warner to eliminate within three years a microwave link that has been a source of weather-related outages.
The deal also calls for Time Warner to extend cable lines dealing with data transmission to several village facilities.