Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Emmet City Finds Computer Glitch

When the year 2000 rolls around, many computers will basically go nuts.

Their programming was designed for the 20th century and not geared for the 21st century. In effect, when the calendar turns from Dec. 31, 1999 to Jan. 1, 2000, there will be a large number of computers registering the new century as 1900 and setting their calendars accordingly.

One city has already experienced problems with the year 2000, even though it's still 16 months away.

Anita Allen, secretary/treasurer for the City of Emmet, worked to see what their computers would do at the change of the century. The system handling the water and sewer information had no problems with the changeover.

However, the computer housing the city's general fund information didn't take well to the new century being downloaded and glitched out.

This resulted in a few pieces of data being lost, but not the information on the city's finances. The minutes of the July meeting, however, are floating somewhere inside the system and weren't available for the regular meeting of the Emmet City Council Thursday, Aug. 13.

Allen informed the council she didn't have time to retype the minutes after learning they had been lost. But, the council agreed to dispense with the reading of the July minutes and deal with them in September.

Preliminary contracts have been signed for the city's water system project. Now these documents will have to be examined by the lending agency, FmHA. The agency will have its attorney's look the papers over and let the city know if it can proceed with the work.

According to Emmet Mayor Ottis "Chuck" Otwell, construction on the system could begin in as little as two weeks if all goes well.

He also told the council the city will have to rebuild some of the levees around the sewer pond as they keep washing away. The problem, he said, is the levees and pond are in a flood plane.

Once discussion of city business ended, those in the audience spoke their piece.

Councilman Rene Sells said people had been complaining about the city's cable television service. The complaints are the signal strength is too weak and customers can't get good pictures.

Additionally, she said, the company, Friendship Cable, is slow to respond to complaints.

One resident went as far as calling the Federal Communications Commission and her representatives in Washington, D.C. on the issue when the cable company did nothing about the complaints.

Apparently, Emmet's cable problems have been long standing. Otwell said years ago Red River Cable Co. operated the system, but got out of line with the company's franchise payments to the city and filed bankruptcy.

Then, he said, Douglas Communications took the system over and asked for a franchise transfer. However, nothing was ever put in writing with the city.

Friendship later bought the franchise from Douglas and has done a line survey in Emmet. Otwell said the company plans to upgrade the system and utilize fiber optic lines for signal transmission.

He asked what company Emmet could get if it broke the franchise deal with Friendship.

Sells pointed out the city may be able to hook onto Hope's or Prescott's company. Both are owned by Wehco Media and are part of the Hussman media conglomerate.

Otwell said part of the problem, in his opinion, is line filters aren't being replaced. This could be causing the signal problems customers are experiencing, he said.

The city attorney, Glenn Vasser, will be contacted to get in touch with Friendship Cable and see what can be done.

Otwell proposed a "boycott" of sorts saying if enough people threaten to cancel their cable subscriptions the company will likely respond.

Tom Hand, a local resident, suggested the council draft and sign a letter to the cable company seeking improvements in the system.

Otwell will instead call the company and if the city doesn't get "satisfaction" the issue will be addressed at the September meeting and could discuss removing the franchise with Friendship Cable.

Long range plans for the cable company, though, are to hook Emmet with Nashville on fiber optic lines, he said.

From cable television, the conversation turned to annexation.

One resident asked why her property was being annexed into the city because the city wants to take in Allen's land.

Otwell explained how annexations can be done. He said if 50 percent of the property owners in the area in question are in favor of annexation the city will have the justification to pursue the issue.

Once this point is reached, the matter goes before the county court, headed by the county judge. This was done in Prescott a couple of years ago when the city annexed in what is now the area for the industrial park.

When the issue goes to court, all residents who will be affected will have their chance to speak and tell the court their opinion.

A second way for annexation to occur is by a vote of the people. Gurdon attempted to do this in 1997, with the issue failing.

It was also asked why one side of Highway 67 is being annexed and the other isn't.

Otwell said if those people wanted to be annexed in, they could be.

He continued saying the annexation issue is not a done deal and the council must approve it yet. But, he added, if the city can get 50 percent of the people in the area, along with at least 50 percent of the land, the city will have reason to proceed.

It was then asked why the issue couldn't be put before the people for a vote.

Councilman Jack Faulkner said it was his opinion anyone getting the benefit if city services should be inside the city limits and part of the city.

Otwell said Emmet must grow and the only way it can is by annexation. The city government, he continued, has the responsibility of gaining tax money if it can.

Mike Otwell, he said, is developing a trailer park on 52 acres and asked to be annexed into the city limits. This would be a considerable amount of taxes for Emmet.

Part of the complaint, Otwell said, is people on the four corners in question don't want to pay the additional 5 mill city tax.

Some have said the city's tax rate is higher, but former Mayor Dale Booker pointed out any more than five mill would be illegal. "This is the maximum amount allowed by law," he said.

However, Booker added, this does not take other taxes residents pay. These taxes include personal and real property taxes.

Sells said the council does the best it can, but there are things in every situation people don't like. However, the city has an attorney to help guide the council and point out which issues are true issues and what is and isn't legal.

Booker said the council is there to listen to what the people have to say, but, technically, the pe