Adelphia Cable subscribers will certainly notice some channel changes in January but the change to their monthly bills may not be as clear.

A Dec. 3 letter sent to Mayor John Elam announced the changes that go into effect Jan. 8. New service packages will provide some customers with new channels and adjust the structure of the plans.

During Thursday's regular meeting, Ironton City Councilman Bob Isaac motioned to accept the letter and make it part of the minutes, but the motion did not receive a second. This does not mean much because the city has no authority over the cable company.

After the meeting, Councilman Richard Price expressed his concerns about the five-page document.

"I read it three times and I am still very confused," he said. "I got my bill out and compared it to the packages. The letter said a savings of $12, but I can't see it."

Price said his comparison shows that it will cost him approximately $8 more per month to receive a similar package.

Though no formal request was made, Price said he would like someone from the cable company to attend the next meeting to explain the changes because, "I am sure I am not the only one confused."

Adelphia representatives counter that the changes provide flexibility, more channels and better deals.

"To the customers, this will greatly increase the value of their entertainment dollar," Larry Mathews, general manager of Adelphia's Huntington-Ashland-Ironton area, said by phone Thursday afternoon. "We are greatly expanding the offerings, though there is some pricing difference, it is well worth the money."

The company will be expanding its digital lineup Approximately 69 new channels will be added to the two digital plans and four premium channel packages. Sixteen pay-per-view sports channels will also be added.

For example, the "bronze pak" gives digital subscribers 14 more digital channels for $54.94, only 4 cents more. The "silverpak" provides a similar plan with more premium channels such as HBO or Showtime at a savings of $7.41, Mathews said.

Letters outlining all the changes and the individual conversions available will be mailed to the customers this month.

Adelphia's lowest non-digital service, it was previously termed "broadcast" and includes channels 2-25, will now be called "broadcast basic." What was formerly referred to as "basic" is now called Adelphia "classic cable" and includes channels 2-75.

Rates for these packages will stay the same. Three channels - The Golf Channel (48), Great American Country (56) and Women's Entertainment (59) - will be removed from the "classic" lineup and added to the digital packages.

The new "Advantagepak" plans allow subscribers to add high-speed Internet to their cable package and save money from the previous cost.

Savings range from $12 to $27.45 depending upon the plan, Mathews said.

Also, the company lowered the price from $7 per month to $3.50 per month for the digital access box that is required to receive pay-per-view and digital music.

Even if someone doesn't want digital cable they can pay this fee to receive the music channels and still have the option of ordering pay-per-view movies, Mathews said.

Adelphia will also make High Definition Television signal available to its digital subscribers. HDTV requires an $8.95 monthly fee for the equipment and subscribers must also own an HDTV television set.

Not all cable networks support HDTV at this time but more companies are beginning to including Discovery, ESPN, WSAZ, HBO and Showtime. Adelphia does not have contracts to offer HDTV for all these stations at this time but discussions are ongoing, Mathews said.

In other business, City Engineer Phil Biggs gave council an updated list of many of the projects that the engineering department is working on.

These include the downtown street enhancement project that will do curb, sidewalk and landscaping improvements on Second, Third and Adams streets, the Center Street Flood Gate project that would widen the entrance and make other improvements, the Nixon Hill water tank replacement, ongoing waterline and street projects within the South Ironton Industrial Park, the fire station, developing the top floor of the city center and more than a dozen other projects in various phases.

Look for an in-depth look at many of these projects in upcoming issues of The Ironton Tribune.

Also, council took the following action:

4Swore in new council member Bill Nenni. The official act was received by a loud round of applause. Nenni was appointed last week to fill the two years remaining on Mayor John Elam's council position.

4Heard reports from Mark White, part-time superintendent of the city's water treatment plant, and Tom Long of Pro Diving Service Inc. out of Akron, Ala., as to how a resin sealant could be used to repair a crack in the Clearwell No. 1 underground water tank on Nixon Hill that leaks an estimated 400,000 gallons of water each day.

White demonstrated how the product works and said he believes the tank can be repaired for Pro Diving's estimate of $15,316 so that it could be usable for years. The city plans to construct either one or two 1-million gallon tanks next year.

4Accepted a draft of the Lawrence County Disaster Mitigation plan that is being prepared for FEMA. Biggs said that a resolution adopting the plan needed to be adopted at the next meeting.

4Approved a motion by Councilman Jesse Roberts to have the next regular meeting at 6 p.m. Dec. 30 because of the Christmas holiday.

4Thanked former Mayor Bob Cleary for his years of working for the city.

4Approved a motion by Roberts to encourage the Ohio Department of Transportation to use a segmented wall structure on both sides of the approach to the new Ironton-Russell Bridge instead of just one so that the property owners can retain as much land as possible.

4Received the appointments for the five committees under the council. Brent Pyles, committee chairman, Price and Chuck O'Leary will sit on the finance committee.

Roberts, as chairman, Bill Nenni and Bob Isaac were named to the public utilities committee.

The annexation committee will consist of Jim Tordiff, chairman, Roberts and Price.

The industrial and commercial development committee will consist of O'Leary, chairman, Nenni and Pyles.

Isaac, chairman, Tordiff and O'Leary were appointed to the parks and recreation committee.