City Council Expected to Vote on SPLOST Project, PEG Channels

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Macon City Council is expected to vote on a $1.5 million SPLOST project at Tuesday’s meeting.

The money would be used to create a new road, build sidewalks and improve storm drainage near Log Cabin Drive and Alton Avenue in Macon. At Monday’s committee meeting, nearly a dozen residents showed up in support of the project. Resident Merritt Johnson has been pushing for improvements in the area for nearly 40 years. He says it’s been a long time coming.

“We’ve have go to do better in holding our elected officials accountable for their oversights,” Johnson said.

Council will also vote on whether to move forward in the ongoing dispute with Cox Communications. According to council member Tom Ellington, it’s been more than three years since the city of Macon asked Cox Communications to move its public, education and government channels back to basic analog cable. But it hasn’t happened.

In 2009, the cable provider announced it would no longer provide the channels known for airing city council and education meetings; breaking its original agreement with the city. Shortly after the announcement, the city of Macon called the Federal Communications Commission to take action. It’s been three years since the city filed a petition with the FCC, now they hope Secretary of State Brian Kemp will get involved. Ellington says they are “at the end of the line”.

“It’s certainly the state’s responsibility to see to it that Cox lives up to it’s obligations under the old franchise agreement,” Ellington said, “but if the state were to elect not to act on this apparently we do not have any power to go any further.”