Sparta Demands Audience With Service Electric Cable

Enough is enough.

Faced with delay after delay, the  Township Council instructed township attorney Thomas Ryan last week to write a letter to Service Electric Cable Television Inc. demanding the company send a representative to appear before the board.

The township has been trying  since last fall to  meet with cable officials to discuss the service outage and a possible refund for Sparta residents.

Ryan was instructed to  offer the company a choice of two meeting dates to discuss with the council the company’s performance during Superstorm Sandy.

Service Electric has  a 10-year contract with Sparta.

Following the damaging storm, Sparta residents have appeared several times at council meetings to complain about the cable company, including two weeks ago.

Ryan said Tuesday the legal counsel for the cable company asked to meet in executive session with the council to discuss the complaints. The company has been making the same request since last fall.

“This is not a matter for executive session,” Ryan said.

Ryan said the contract calls for the company to meet with township officials to discuss performance issues but does not specify whether that meeting could be with a single council member, the township manger or a committee of the council.

The council insisted Tuesday that the meeting would take place in a public session.