Willinet To Ask For Small Increase In Cable Bill Fees
 The Selectmen approved a special license for Charles Hunt to store 2,600 gallons of liquid propane on his Henderson Road farm. |
The town's cable contract expires in August and Deborah Dane, Willinet executive director, told the Selectmen Monday that the group will work with the Cable Advisory Committee to structure the increase into the next contract. It is only a 1 percent increase, which translates to an average of $1.20 a month, and falls in line with other communities, according to Dane.
"It's not a tax. It's a fee," Dane said at the Selectmen's meeting.
Town Manager Peter Fohlin said the town negotiates with Time Warner Cable – or any company the board chooses – to bring cable to the residents and then Willinet is contracted between the town and the organization. When the contract expires, the town would then negotiate a new one with both and could include an increase in the fee for community access.
"Willinet has nothing to do with the Selectmen or Time Warner," Fohlin said. "In theory, when the contract expires the board could choose another group to run that."
The maximum fee allowed by law is 5 percent, Fohlin said, and Selectmen settled with 4 percent because of an anti-tax sentiment. The fee is applied only to the cable portion of the bill and not Internet packages, he said.
Fohlin later said that having an independent organization run the cable access is invaluable to the town because it keeps the Selectmen away from being accused of interfering with the First Amendment, and said that though the board could accept a smaller increase, the amount of money is so minute that it's not worth it.
The Selectmen praised the work the access channel has done in recent years.
According to Dane, the organization has 17 and a half hours of programming a day on two channels and increases that amount every year. The station covers a larger variety of meetings, has launched a new website, trains citizens in filming and editing, has local colleges run programs and more, she said. There are 533 locally produced programs and 985 locally sponsored programs, she said. Regional nonprofits post on a bulletin board, it holds special election programming and it is used by local veterans.
"We had a very full and vibrant year with programming," Dane said.
Fohlin also reported that legal counsel has approved the Planning Board's decision regarding Bee Hill Road and it is expected to be sent into the land court in the next few days. The Planning Board will meet Tuesday night, he said.
Fohlin said that a scoping session was held for a proposal for the TJ's building, at 824 Simonds Road, to host a Mr. Donut. Thomas Elder has been appointed to the Board of Accessors. He is replacing Herman Allsop, who retired after 19 years.
The board also approved a license for Charles Hunt to store 2,600 gallons of liquid propane at his farm on 580 Henderson Road. Hunt said he is increasing the amount of propane so that water can be pumped from the house to the barn for his horses in case of a power outage. The requested storage amount exceeded the 2,000 gallon limit and therefore needed a special permit from the town. The fire chief had already signed off on the permit and an abutter filed a letter of approval.
Two 1,000-gallon tanks will be buried underground and one 500-gallon tank is already underground. A 100-gallon tank will be above ground.
The board also set a calendar for town election which can be seen below. There are two Selectmen seats up for reelection as well as one Elementary School Committee, two Library Trustees, one Housing Authority and one Planning Board.
Williamstown election schedule
