Rhea County Executive Jim Vincent announced to the full commission that he was notified that Spectrum had purchased Spring City Cable recently. “And they didn’t contact us about it.”
Both Spring City Cable, Spectrum and Bledsoe Telephone Cooperative had approached the county to be awarded American Rescue Plan Act Money to put Internet all over the under-served portions of the county back in 2022.
County Executive Vincent talked with representatives of Spectrum to remind them that Spring City Cable had not yet finished its contractual obligations to Rhea County.
He said he told them, “Do you not think that you should have checked with us since it was a county utility before you purchased it to see if we needed anything?” Mr.
Vincent then told them that they had not met their contract with the county.
County Commission Vice Chairman Phillip Dunn reported to the commission that he had several locations that had been bypassed and had no service ar all. .
County Executive Vincent said he personally knew of spots, “not a lot,” on Grandview Mountain that were missed.
Commissioner Leo Stephens said there were many places out in Oak Hill community that were missed.
Mr. Vincent said that if commissioners in those areas would get him the not served addresses he would check on them. “Make sure they are not served versus under-served. The grant was to get persons with no service,” he said.
After discussing the matter, County Executive Vincent said he was going to have the county attorney, Carol Baron, send a letter to both Spring City Cable and Spectrum to remind them of their obligations and let them know they are not happy with the sale until they finish the contract.
According to the Dunn and Bradstreet information, Walter Hooper is the president of Spring City Cable. It was started in 1982 and serves some 8,900 customers with cable and Internet. A call was placed to Mr. Hooper for comment, but it was not returned.