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Millis Select Board schedules public hearing on Verizon Fios license renewal; attorney outlines PEG funding and exit terms
Summary
The Town of Millis Select Board authorized a public hearing Aug. 18 on renewing Verizon New England’s cable television license. Attorney Bill Solomon summarized a proposed five‑year term, PEG funding commitments and an early‑termination provision requiring extended notice and payment of capital support.
The Millis Select Board on July 21 authorized a public hearing for 7:30 p.m. Aug. 18 to consider renewal of Verizon New England Inc.'s cable television license.
Attorney Bill Solomon, who represents municipalities in cable negotiations, told the board the draft before them calls for a five‑year license term and includes public, educational and governmental (PEG) commitments and capital support. “The PEG capital is $57,000 and that's gonna be paid in three payments of $19,000,” Solomon said. He added the town would continue to receive annual operating support equal to 5% of gross cable revenues, the maximum allowed under federal law.
Solomon described an early‑termination provision that Verizon seeks to include. Under the draft, Verizon could exercise an out with extended written notice; Solomon said the company would still be required to make the PEG capital payments already negotiated. He said one remaining open issue was whether and how interest would be charged on late municipal payments and that he was continuing discussions with Verizon on that point.
The draft preserves three standard‑definition PEG channels and gives the town the option, with 270 days' written notice, to require Verizon to deliver a high‑definition PEG channel. Solomon said the town's planned new studio would be connected to the point where Verizon picks up access programming at town hall, and that arrangement was factored into the capital calculation.
Board members asked clarifying questions and heard Solomon's summary of subscriber counts and other technical points. Solomon provided subscriber figures he said were in Verizon's records: 965 subscribers for Verizon (through Feb. 2024) and 1,052 for Comcast at the end of the same reporting period.
After the discussion, a board member moved and the board voted unanimously to schedule the public hearing on Aug. 18. No final license vote was taken; the hearing will provide a public record and a chance for additional testimony prior to final action.
