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BOS won't budge on Cable 8
funding
By Mike Berger
Citizen Staff
For over a
year the town has been at an impasse with Comcast over a new
contract, but by the end of Tuesday night’s Board of Selectmen
meeting, the gap between the two sides may have narrowed slighty.
While selectmen may be willing to listen to a proposal to move
the downtown Canton office to Cobb’s Corner, they will not
compromise on maintaining a capital requirement of $227,000 over
a ten-year period to help Cable 8. This was the same capital
requirement in the contract the town signed with Comcast ten
years ago.
Selectman Bob
Burr said the continued operation of Cable 8 is of paramount
importance, followed by a local cable office (in town) and fair
rates.
“Cable 8 is so
important to this town,” Burr said. “That’s what sets Canton
apart.”
Selectmen
Chairman Sal Salvatori said it is very reasonable for a big
company like Comcast to amortize the capital amount of $227,000
over a ten-year period; however, the best offer by Comcast thus
far has been $50,000. Gerry Buckley, senior manager of
government relations for Comcast, said that conditions have
changed since the last contract was signed and the company is
being conscious of its costs for Canton customers. He also noted
that Verizon is currently paying capital funds ($300,000) toward
Cable 8.
Peter Epstein,
cable counsel for the town, said the town’s objective was to
request the same terms from both companies and to treat both
fairly. Salvatori asked Comcast to return to negotiations with
the Cable Advisory Committee and report back to selectmen on
October 27.
In other news:
• Selectmen,
upon advice from traffic consultants, will recommend to Norfolk
County commissioners that they not approve the proposed
alterations to Canton Street in Westwood, which are designed to
accommodate the new Westwood Station development. Traffic
engineers said they have too many questions and a lack of
traffic data to reach a conclusion about the traffic impact.
Selectmen Bob Burr, Victor Del Vecchio and town counsel plan to
attend the commissioners’ hearing on Wednesday, September 30, at
10 a.m. at Dedham Superior Court.
• A total of
seven applications for the town’s new fire chief have been
received at the selectmen’s office, which meets the criteria of
the board. Town Administrator Bill Friel said two of the seven
applicants live in Canton but declined to say if they are
members of the Canton Fire Department. A short list of the top
three or four finalists will be presented to selectmen for final
interviews by Friel and Laurie Soloway, the town’s human
resource administrator. Selectmen plan to name a new chief by
the time current Fire Chief Tim Ronayne retires on October 30.
• The Police
Department will supervise a Canadian geese population control
shooting by September 25 at the Wampatuck golf course. Salvatori
said the state wildlife office has deemed the measure acceptable
since the geese are aggressive, carry disease, and the
population at the golf course is getting out of control and is a
public nuisance.
• Selectmen
accepted with regret the announcement by Town Accountant Paul
Gargan that he has taken another business position and will be
leaving within the next several weeks. Friel said the work of
Gargan and Finance Director Jim Murgia has garnered the town
several financial awards.
• Friel said
the Napleton Company has decided to comply with the state Office
of Dam Safety and will come up with a short and long-term
engineering plan to fix the Pleasant Street Dam.
• Friel said
the federal Environmental Protection Agency has granted Canton a
30-day extension until October 15 to continue to present the
information the EPA has requested from Canton officials. Friel
said the EPA is happy with the cooperation of Canton and appears
unlikely to impose a fine.
• Selectmen
approved a common victualler’s license for iScream Works to open
a 12-seat soft-serve ice cream shop at 598 Washington Street,
beginning in November.
• Selectmen
will host a Communications Forum for all town boards on Tuesday,
September 29, at 5:30 p.m. at the library.
September 24, 2009
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