Updated Tuesday, 3:28 p.m.
A bill that would limit the ability of cities and towns to go into the cable and telecommunications business passed the N.C. House of Representatives Monday night, and now heads to the Senate. The bill exempts existing municipal systems, including MI-Connection Communications System owned by the towns of Davidson and Mooresville, but restricts the systems’ boundaries. Read the full story

This fence on Concord Road was the subject of debate in 2008. See a gallery of fences in Davidson below. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

Also on the agenda: A new tax on businesses, discussion of drive-throughs

What should fences in Davidson look like? The Davidson Town Board on Tuesday will hold a public hearing and later vote on proposed amendments to town rules that would “strongly discourage” front-yard fences, and clarify standards for homeowners who choose to erect them.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the board will resume a public hearing begun last month on proposed zoning changes that could make it easier to develop a corporate/industrial park at the former Davidson East site, off N.C. 73 east of town. (See “Public hearing resumes Tues. on N.C. 73 planning rules”.) And it will discuss the town’s longstanding rules prohibiting drive-throughs.

The meeting also will include several items related to MI-Connection, the cable and internet system Davidson owns along with the Town of Mooresville.  And the board will adopt a new $40 annual “business license” fee. Read the full story

Letter responding to state officials’ concerns will include projections of town subsidies for at least two more years; treasurer calls 2011 ‘high water mark.’

Updated Thursday, March 3, 2011, 5:16 p.m.
Directors of the MI-Connection Communications System on Wednesday approved hiring a consultant to oversee the system’s transition from its third-party manager to a new company managed by the board. Meanwhile, in a telephone meeting, the board also discussed a draft letter to be sent later this week to the state Local Government Commission in response to the LGC’s concerns over the system’s finances. Read the full story

MI-Connection Communications System will hold a special telephone board meeting Wednesday, March 2, at 10 a.m. to review and approve a response letter to the state Local Government Commission about its financial situation.

The meeting will be via teleconference and at the system headquarters, 420 S. Academy St., Mooresville.

RELATED STORY

Feb. 24, 2011, “State officials repeat concerns about MI-Connection finances.”

By DAVID BORAKS
DavidsonNews.net

MOORESVILLE – For a second straight year, the financially troubled MI-Connection Communications System has received a warning letter from state officials concerned about its financial condition and outlook. The Feb. 4 letter became public Thursday when it came up at a board meeting of the system, which is owned by the towns of Mooresville and Davidson. Read the full story

The board of directors of the MI-Connection Communications System holds its monthly meeting on Thursday, Feb. 24, at 7:30 a.m., at the MI-Connection office, 420 S. Academy St., Mooresville.

No agenda has been released. The board is composed of citizens from Davidson and Mooresville, the two towns that own the Lake Norman area TV, telephone and internet system.

This article originally was published as part of DavidsonNews.net’s other coverage of the Feb. 8, 2011, Town Board meeting.

The Davidson Town Board on Tuesday, Feb. 8, added to its agenda, and then approved, an amendment to its agreement with Mooresville governing the operations of MI-Connection. The amendment expands the MI-Connection board to 7, including town managers from both towns, and changes the way board members are appointed. Read the full story

Following is a letter resident Bobby Cashion sent Tuesday to the Davidson Town Board and mayor on the town’s plans to seek legislation the would keep secret some information about the MI-Connection Communications System. It is reprinted with permission.

Dear Board of Commissioners and Mayor,

I am writing you as concerned citizen regarding the pending Resolution Adopting the Town of Davidson Legislative Agenda item (e) which references “seek local legislation allowing MI-Connection to protect certain proprietary information and the MI-Connection Board to discuss the proprietary information in closed session.” (See Feb. 8, 2011, “Town wants to limit disclosures about MI-Connection.” Read the full story