Plymouth approves 15-year cable franchise with Charter after public hearing
Loading...
Summary
After a public hearing, the Select Board voted to enter a 15-year franchise agreement with Charter (Spectrum). The agreement preserves a 5% franchise fee, includes a $5,300 one-time PEG equipment payment, and removes free cable drops to town facilities because of FCC rules; residents raised concerns about rising Spectrum prices.
The Plymouth Select Board voted March 10 to enter into a 15-year cable franchise agreement with Charter Communications Inc., following a public hearing on the proposed renewal.
The agreement keeps the town's current cable-franchise fee at 5% of gross revenue and includes a one-time payment of $5,300 from Charter to purchase equipment for the town's PEG (public, educational and government) channels. The contract also preserves the town's existing franchise terms in many respects, but under federal rules the town will forfeit courtesy free drops to town facilities and public schools because it is receiving the highest allowable franchise-fee percentage.
Town Manager Scott Wheaton and the board's outside attorney, Brianna (Donahue, Tucker & Ciandella), said the town has limited authority over consumer rates, channel lineups and Charter's internet or telephone services. Brianna said those items are outside the scope of a franchise negotiation and that the town's leverage was focused on maintaining franchise fees, securing PEG support, and preserving access for residents who still rely on linear cable.
During the public hearing the board read a letter from long-time residents Samuel Sargent and Brenda Phelan expressing frustration with rising Spectrum bills and inconsistent communications about channel-lineup changes. The letter, read into the record, contrasted a 2017 bundled bill of roughly $63 with a recent Spectrum bill the authors said totaled about $271 and urged the town to press Charter on price transparency and options for seniors.
Select Board members said the town had negotiated for more favorable terms where possible and that the 5% fee yields meaningful revenue to the town; one board member noted the town currently receives roughly $65,000 a year in franchise fees. A resident plan to forward the Sargent/Phelan letter to Charter was accepted by the town manager, who said he would send it to the company.
Motion language recorded at the meeting was: "Move that the Town of Plymouth enter into a franchise agreement with Charter Communications Inc. for a period of 15 years." The motion was seconded and the board responded "Aye," with no opposing voices recorded; the chair declared the motion carried.
The board also discussed the potential to negotiate a subsequent technical agreement with Charter's enterprise team to upgrade one of the town's PEG channels from standard definition to high definition; that technical upgrade will be negotiated separately if both parties proceed.
The executed franchise agreement will be filed with town records and available for public inspection at the town clerk's office as described during the hearing.
Votes at the meeting on this item were voice votes; no roll-call tally was recorded in the minutes.
