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Trustees approve updated public‑access contract with ‘Panda,’ add village timing clause
Summary
The board authorized a rider to the long‑standing public‑access agreement with vendor 'Panda', extending the contract term and adding a village-specific addendum to align budget approval timing with village fiscal schedules.
The Village of Red Hook Board of Trustees authorized a rider to its public-access cable agreement with the vendor known in the meeting as "Panda," extending the contract term and updating budget and inventory exhibits.
Trustees were told the franchise-style agreement dates to 2011 and that the amended rider would extend the contract to 2029 and include annual updates tied to subscriber data. The update replaces detailed franchise lists with references to underlying agreements and revises language on how meetings are recorded and stored to reflect modern recording technology.
A procedural issue prompted a proposed addendum: the five municipal partners that share the arrangement currently are required to confirm budget approval by majority vote by Nov. 15, a date that attendees said works for the towns but not the villages. The Village of Rhinebeck proposed and the village requested an additional clause allowing villages to confirm approval by April 1 to match village budget timing; village representatives said Rhinebeck staff indicated that change was acceptable.
The board discussed the contract’s termination clause: any municipality may withdraw with 90 days’ prior notice effective at year-end provided notice is given before Oct. 1. The contract states equipment remains owned by Panda and that if more than one municipality withdraws, remaining municipalities may terminate with 30 days’ notice. Trustees noted those exit provisions and the option to cancel with notice.
One trustee asked about how the cost allocation is calculated. Board members clarified the allocation basis uses Spectrum subscriber data (television subscribers) rather than general internet service counts; the village official said the vendor obtains Spectrum subscriber numbers and the municipality’s share is calculated as a percentage of the five jurisdictions’ subscribers.
A trustee said the village should monitor changing technology and viewer habits and review whether the arrangement remains appropriate by 2029. The motion to authorize the mayor (or presiding official) to sign the rider with the village addendum carried on a voice vote.
