Several weeks ago at a Lake Charles City Council meeting, city attorney Billy Loftin announced that AT&T had taken out a permit to provide cable TV to Lake Charles. When will this happen?

AT&T spokesman Lance Skelly said he couldn’t divulge when the company plans to launch its pay television service locally.

But, he said, AT&T already offers U-verse — which includes pay TV — in Baton Rouge, Bayou Cane, Houma, Kenner, Lafayette, Metairie, Monroe, Shreveport and Thibodaux.

The company and the city last November signed a 10-year agreement to allow AT&T to use city rights of way to offer its Internet video service to Lake Charles residents. City attorney Billy Loftin said the agreement is AT&T’s “gateway to the community.”

Under the agreement, the company will pay the city “a fee equal to 5% of the Gross Revenues from IP Video Services advertising, commissions from home shopping, and all subscription fees collected from each subscriber to AT&T Louisiana’s IP Video Services product delivered over the IP Network” in city rights of way.

“The fee (‘IP Video Services Provider Fee’) will be identified and passed through on any subscriber bill by AT&T Louisiana, and all such fees collected will be forwarded to City monthly and shall be due 30 days after the end of each month,” the agreement reads.

Additionally, AT&T must pay 0.5 percent of gross revenues to the city to help cover the costs of public, educational and governmental programming.

“Payments … shall be used by the City as allowed by federal law only to support the capital costs incurred for the construction and operation of PEG access channel content and facilities,” the agreement reads.

“AT&T Louisiana may identify and collect the amount of the PEG capital contribution as a separate line-item on the regular bill of each subscriber.”

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Online: www.att.com; www.cityoflakecharles.com.

DOTD gives permits for house moving

Who gives permits for people to move houses on roads?

“Permits to move houses on roadways are issued by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development,” state police Sgt. James Anderson wrote in an email.

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Online: wwwsp.dotd.la.gov; www.lsp.org.

Jindal staff subject to benefit changes

Gov. Bobby Jindal is making state employees choose different health plans. Will he and his staff be subject to the same insurance rules?

Yes, said Shannon Bates, a spokeswoman for the governor’s office.

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The Informer answers questions from readers each Sunday, Monday and Wednesday. It is researched and written by Andrew Perzo, an American Press staff writer. To ask a question, call 494-4098 and leave voice mail, or email informer@americanpress.com.(MGNonline)