Fairview council hears proposal to explore dissolving Mount Hood Cable Regulatory Commission

Fairview councilors on Wednesday debated whether to direct staff to study dissolving the Mount Hood Cable Regulatory Commission (MHCRC), an intergovernmental body that has handled Comcast cable franchise and PEG (public, educational and government) fee distribution since the late 1980s.

Julio Melchick, introduced as the chair of Metro East Community Media, described the historical arrangement whereby a portion of franchise fees collected on the East Side are routed through Portland and a share — historically 60% — has been distributed to Metro East’s operations and grants. Melchick and other speakers said that cable viewership and franchise revenue have declined substantially and that the MHCRC currently pays roughly $1.4 million annually to Portland for administration of the MHCRC functions.

Council discussion focused on two options Melchick outlined: (1) Fairview and partner jurisdictions could withdraw from the MHCRC and set up local collection/disbursement arrangements or (2) the MHCRC could be dissolved unanimously, triggering a reallocation of funds among jurisdictions. Melchick said Gresham had already sent a letter seeking to leave the MHCRC by the end of the fiscal year on June 30, 2026.

A Metro East representative told council that Metro East is shifting its funding mix toward philanthropy and grants as franchise revenue declines and urged officials to consider a transition that preserves Metro East operations. The organization said it relies on governmental funding to sustain services such as council meeting access, training, digital-inclusion work with at-risk populations and access to studio equipment.

Councilors and staff asked for a concrete work plan: what administrative steps are needed to decouple from Portland, whether payments come directly via ACH from Comcast or from Portland, and how to ensure Metro East retains adequate PEG capital funding. Councilor Dennerlein asked for a clear, simple staff recommendation; staff requested direction to begin exploring what dissolving the MHCRC would require, including potential creation of a smaller shared administrative role among the East County jurisdictions.

No final motion was adopted Wednesday. Staff said they would coordinate with Gresham, Troutdale and Wood Village managers and the county, gather details about current revenue flows, and return to council with options — including transition scenarios that preserve Metro East’s PEG capital funding while stopping the multi-jurisdictional payment to Portland.

Details: Gresham has indicated it wants to be out of the MHCRC by 06/30/2026; council asked staff to investigate how franchise payments are received now (quarterly ACH vs. Portland check) and how PEG capital and operations funds could be redistributed if the commission is dissolved.