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Select Board begins review of Comcast franchise edits, considers 3–3.5% fee
Summary
Legal edits to the town’s Comcast franchise agreement recommend shortening the term to five years and allowing a franchise fee; staff reported other towns commonly levy ~3–3.5% and the board asked for alternatives and for staff to confirm which municipal drops currently receive free service.
Boscawen — Select Board members reviewed proposed legal edits to the town’s Comcast franchise agreement on June 10, including a recommendation to shorten the contract term to five years and to include a franchise fee provision.
Staff noted that communities commonly assess a franchise fee in the 3–3.5% range (up to 5% is sometimes used) and that franchise fees would typically be passed through to customers by the provider. The board discussed whether pursuing a fee would meaningfully increase municipal revenue and directed staff to solicit alternative proposals and confirm which municipal facilities still receive free service under the prior contract (the library and other town drops were mentioned as examples).
A public hearing will be required before any franchise fee goes into effect; staff will continue edits with Comcast and return the revised draft for the board and a future public hearing.
Why it matters: franchise agreements can generate recurring revenue for municipal services or require tradeoffs for rights‑of‑way and municipal drops, and changes to terms and fees will require public notice and a formal hearing.
