HUNTINGTON – The Huntington Board of Selectmen met with the town’s Cable Advisory Board (CAB) on Wednesday to inform them of their decision to sign a ten-year contract with Comcast. “We are going to follow the attorney’s recommendation and accept the offer of Comcast,” said BOS chair Edward Renauld. His announcement received an immediate reaction from Chris Saner of the CAB.
The offer by Comcast includes a buildout to 96% of unserved homes in Huntington through its agreement with the Massachusetts Broadband Institute. 77 previously unserved homes are on the list to receive service, and 17 homes are not included on the list.
Comcast also offered a graduated franchise fee to the town over the ten years of the contract, beginning with 2% of gross annual percentages from cable television subscribers in the first three years; 3% over the next four years, and 3.5% the last three years, for a total projected contribution of $194,000. Comcast’s position is that the amount of the franchise fee would allow the town to do the buildout to the remaining 17 homes at an estimated cost of $139,000, with additional money for a PEG Access Cable station for the town. The previous ten year contract with Comcast included a $3,000 franchise fee over ten years.
Huntington Cable Advisory Board (L-R) Johanna Brackney, Robert Brackney, rear, Chris Saner and Town Counsel William Hewig, III at the July negotiations with Comcast. (Photo by Amy Porter)
The offer was made at a meeting on July 26, at which Eileen Leahy of Comcast, town counsel William Hewig, III, and both boards attended.
On Wednesday, Saner said the board has been clear about several things from the beginning of the two-year long negotiation process: to extend service to non-served residents, to protect residents that do have service, and to help those that are not on the MBI list gain service.
Saner said he and the CAB board did a lot of research on Comcast contracts with partially served towns. He said they made it clear from the beginning that they would put in the time if they would be a part of the negotiations, which he said they had been until the last meeting in July and subsequent events.
Saner also claimed the town’s attorney did not have experience representing a partially served cable town, and said the attorney did not use their research in the contract negotiations with Comcast.
“I told you from the get go that we would consider all the information you gave us,” Renauld said. He also said that the CAB board did take part in the July meeting with Comcast.
Saner said the CAB’s goal from the beginning has been to protect the residents. He said they suggested three options; a side letter to the ten-year Comcast contract guaranteeing connectivity, a three-year contract, or waiting to sign the contract until MBI completes the buildout, which is scheduled to be completed by August of 2018.
Saner added that he thinks the buildout will happen, but if it does not it would be “catastrophic” for 80% of the residents. Referring to Comcast contracts with other partially served towns, Saner said, “All of their contracts were signed before the MBI agreement happened, and they don’t have to wait ten more years to renegotiate with Comcast if the MBI deal falls through.”
Saner said the ten-year contract does nothing for line extensions to the remaining unserved homes, and nothing in terms of contributions from the cable company itself. “We’re not asking for the world, we’re asking for fair and equitable treatment given to other partially-served towns,” Saner added.
Renauld said the town is still getting 96% coverage through Comcast’s agreement with MBI. “We’re getting more than what we were ever going to get before the MBI (agreement),” Renauld said.
Selectman Darlene McVeigh added that through the franchise fees, the town will be able to build out to the remaining residents.
“On the backs of cable subscribers – If we accept that, we’re chumps,” Saner said.
“You can’t compare contracts (with other towns) from before the MBI buildout – it’s apples and oranges,” Renauld said.
Saner also said he believes the franchise fees are overstated. He said based on 695 subscribers, and assuming the 75 new subscribers get cable television, at 3% the numbers don’t come near what was proposed. He also said the “snowbirds” at Norwich Lake only subscribe three months out of the year.
McVeigh said she didn’t want feelings, she wanted suggestions. Saner said the CAB would prefer to continue negotiations with Comcast, and operate under the existing contract (which ran out last February) for one more year.
McVeigh asked them to write up their suggestions in a letter to the Board of Selectmen.
CAB member Johanna Brackney said it is the duty of the Cable Advisory Board to protect the residents. “If, in fact, you sign Option 3 (the ten-year contract proposed by Comcast), we all resign, effective immediately,” Brackney said.
“You don’t negotiate with threats,” McVeigh responded.
