Just hours before the EPB board was set to consider a major bond issues as part of a plan to go into the cable TV business, Comcast filed a lawsuit seeking to block it in Chancery Court in Hamilton County.

EPB officials had vowed to move ahead after a Nashville chancellor recently dismissed a similar suit, saying she did not have jurisdiction and the proper plaintiff had not brought the suit. That suit was brought by the state cable association, of which Comcast is a member.

The new lawsuit substitutes Comcast for the cable association as the plaintiff.

The EPB board was set to meet at 3 p.m. to vote on the bond issue. The city earlier approved allowing EPB to issue bonds up to $230 million.

EPB officials said they planned to have cable TV available locally by the end of the year.

The 22-page suit says the EPB venture is an illegal cross subsidy of ratepayer funds.

It was filed by Nashville attorney Jamie Hollin, Chattanooga attorney Jennifer Lawrence and Nashville attorney Travis Parham. The Chattanoogan.com