Sayonara CAC

Town Manager Paul Bockelman and Select Board member Andy Steinberg attended final CAC meeting this Friday morning

After 36 public meetings, 7 private negotiation sessions, 2 public forums and countless hours reading draft after draft of a complicated contract the Cable Advisory Committee voted unanimously this morning to dissolve.

But like a phoenix (or zombie) they will revive in about eight years when the ten year contract with Comcast is a couple years shy of expiring.

Chair Dee Shabazz thanked her fellow committee members saying she could not have lasted this long as Chair without them, especially in light of the "negativity" of Comcast.

Town Manager Paul Bockelman followed up saying, "You were a stabilizing force over the course of four Town Managers."

Steinberg thanked them on behalf of the entire Select Board saying he now, "Really regrets we didn’t get more involved earlier.  But we were busy hiring a new Town Manager.  Amherst did however get extraordinary amount of capital ($1.125 million), more so than any other municipality in the state."

Negotiations are done with Comcast but now the town will negotiate a new ten year contract with Amherst Media who normally gets the entire 5% cut of revenues annually (about $300,000) as well as the one time capital amount ($1.125 million).

The stickler this time around will be the iNet, which the town relies on for all its data, phones, Internet and therefor is a benefit to every taxpayer in town rather than just the cable subscribers who benefit by it for their cable TV.

Select Board Chair Alisa Brewer made it clear the town would be keeping some of that $1.125 million in order to build a new iNet, which Comcast says we have to do within three years.  Early projections for that cost are in the $200,000 range.  

Cable Showdown

Comcast 1st took over the  Amherst cable franchise in 2006

The Select Board will decide this evening if the final offer from Comcast for $1.125 million in one time capital payments -- up from $450,000 ten years ago -- is close enough for Amherst, although the original asking price was twice that.

Amherst Media is rallying the troops to pressure the SB into rejecting the offer in favor of their final counteroffer request made through the Amherst Cable Advisory Committee of $1.6 million. 

So yes, the battle lines are drawn a bit like moon river: wider than a mile.

Amherst Media email to supporters (Click to enlarge/read)

If the Select Board rejects the 10 year license renewal, which has an October 15 deadline, Comcast would file an appeal in order to protect their $7 to $8 million per year market and the legal battle would, according to the Town Manager. "cost the Town significant legal fees."

Temporary Town Manager Pete Hechenbleikner recommended approval when the final offer was at $950,000 and new permanent Town Manager Paul Bockelman entered the fray late but got the final final offer up to the current $1.125 million, which he now recommends the Select Board accept.

So tune in tonight before the Presidential debate for the exciting outcome on the Amherst Media government channel, or maybe I'll livestream it on Facebook.

Cable Contract Comeuppance

Paul Bockelman (left) attending Cable Advisory Committee meeting yesterday

New Town Manager Paul Bockelman parachuted into a hot LZ with two critical concerns coming up at the routine Monday night Select Board meeting:  The impasse with Comcast over their ten year franchise renewal and the steadily worsening water situation.

At their Thursday morning meeting Bockelman asked the Cable Advisory Committee for a "little leeway" in getting up to speed.  The CAC convinced the Select Board to reject the current offer which includes a one time payment of $950,000 for new equipment and the standard 5% cut of cable revenues (around $300K per year).

The Select Board has until September 26 to formally accept or reject the offer but Comcast would then appeal the decision and would continue to operate under the old contract.

If Comcast agrees to return to the bargaining table the CAC, in addition to their two members, demand a member of Amherst Media also be present to "increase the efficiency and accuracy of the discussion."

Amherst Media also funded a 5-year audit of Comcast and although the official report is not yet concluded enough irregularities have been found to warrant a conference call with the entire Cable Advisory Committee, Amherst Media and the town hired consultant/attorney Peter Epstein.

All things combines -- Internet, Telephone, TV and Advertising sales -- the ten year contract is estimated to generate $80 million in total revenues to Comcast. 

Fight The Power

CAC Chair Dee Shabazz tells Select Board current contract offer is "disappointing"

The anti-corporate stand up for the little guy (and gal) attitude New Englanders are famous for was on full display at last nights' lengthy Select Board meeting as our executive branch voted unanimously to fight the current Comcast ten year cable franchise renewal offer and to send a message to Berkshire Gas to end the current moratorium on new gas hook ups that hurts our downtown.

To the cheers of the Cable Advisory Committee in the audience the SB instructed the Town Manager to tell Comcast the town is unhappy with the current final offer because the one time $950,000 capital allotment is too low and not bringing HD to our local cable access channels is unacceptable.



In the 2006 contract Comcast allocated $450,000 (or $538,000 in today's dollars) in one time capital allowance but much of the infrastructure equipment was already dated and now needs to be replaced.

Amherst Media requested $2.2 million and at yesterday's CAC meeting Director Jim Lescault said even with the draconian cuts to reach the new $950K target he is still shy $230,000.

The capital monies in question are "pass along" costs to the 7,000 Amherst Comcast customers and at $950K would amount to $1.24 monthly which is an increase of 36 cents from the current 86 cents per month.

The contract expires in mid-October but the Select Board has a September 26th drop-dead deadline to officially respond to the current Comcast offer.

Amherst now relies on the Comcast iNet infrastructure for telephones and Internet, so if the system should go dark in October it will send the town back into the stone age.

Take What You Can Get

Cable Advisory Committee (rt), Pete Hechenbleikner (top ctr) Jim Lescault (left ctr)

UPDATE:  Select Board decided to hold off on making any decision about the Comcast renewal until they are at full strength (only 3 of 5 members present this evening).

#####

In his final day as Temporary Town Manager Pete Hechenbleikner made it perfectly clear to the Cable Advisory Committee and Amherst Media Director Jim Lescault that he was going to recommend the Amherst Select Board accept and sign the ten year cable renewal contract with Comcast.

The CAC met this morning with Hochenbleikner to discuss and vote on a recommendation to the Select Board and after an hour and a half of discussion decided to take no vote but declared a "consensus" that the offer of one time capital payment of $950,000 was too low.

The Committee was concerned about taking a formal vote when two of their most experienced members were absent.

The previous 2006 contract generated only $450,000 for capital and Mr. Hochenbleikner stated this current offer of $950,000 was the highest in the state for municipalities of comparable size (Northampton, for instance, was paid $750,000).

The town will get to continue using the iNet infrastructure at no extra charge for three more years and then can build their own or renegotiate with Comcast for its continued usage.  A new (better) system will cost about $250,000.

Comcast will continue to pay 5% -- the standard amount -- cut of cable TV revenues to the town (about $300,000 annually), which is then turned over to Amherst Media to provide for their programming on three channels, called "PEG Access."

Click to enlarge/read

 To be presented at tonight's Select Board meeting

 

Half A Loaf?

Amherst Media also has to find a new building soon

A bit of a firefight is brewing for Monday night's Select Board meeting as Amherst Media Director Jim Lescault is not overly happy with the ten year cable contract license renewal negotiated by our Cable Advisory Committee and Temporary Town Manager Pete Hechenbleikner with mega Death Star corporation Comcast.

Amherst Media is our Public Access provider (with three channels) bringing us town government meetings and the occasional offbeat do it yourself productions.

Ten years ago the contract provided $450,000 in a one time capital equipment funding and this year Amherst Media was looking for $2.2 million.

Amherst Media Board of Directors President Steven Brewer, husband of Select Board Chair Alisa Brewer, is also very unhappy with the proposed contract.

Steven Brewer testifying at 9/25/15 Cable Ascertainment Hearing before Select Board

Comcast is offering $950,000, or less than half the request.  But, as usual, the contract does call for a 5% cut of cable TV revenues (but not telephone or Internet) which come to about $300,000 annually. 

The Empire Strikes Back

Amherst Media is main beneficiary of Comcast ten year contract

Comcast, the mega media giant who owns the sole cable franchise for Amherst, responded to the town's 10 year renewal RFP with an in-your-face comeback.

While the 5% cut of $6.2 million in annual revenues ($317,000 to Amherst Media for local access this year) is pretty much a given, the only real negotiation will be over the one-time equipment upgrades.

The town requested $2.2 million and Comcast responded with $450,000 -- the exact same amount they provided ten years ago.  Ouch!

And they hired their own consultant to counter the two "ascertainment hearings" the town held to get feedback on Comcast services.

 Click to enlarge read

So yes, this is going to get interesting.

And if not resolved by mid-October, the town's 7,000 subscribers could see their televisions go dark.

Although our Temporary Town Manager assured the state oversight authority that the town expects to come to a deal before deadline.

Cable Contract In The Mail (Almost)

Five member Cable Advisory Committee (new members on right)

The Cable Advisory Committee met yesterday following up on an energetic meeting the previous day with their attorney Peter Epstein to put final touches on the Comcast cable franchise renewal contract, a once-every-ten-year event.

Chair Dee Shabazz opened the meeting by thanking the entire committee for their hard work over the past year.

Interim Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner got involved from the very beginning of his temporary tenure and already appointed two new members to the committee, Al Sax and Sharon Vardatira, bringing the CAC to full strength.

The draft proposal will go out by March 15, maybe even as early as tomorrow.  The CAC will be drafting a letter to the Select Board bringing them up to date with the process.

Currently the contract is worth just over $6 million annually to Comcast with 5% of that coming to the town and passed through to Amherst Media for annual operation expenses.

The major sticking point will be the one time $2.2 million capital improvement requests, much of it for Amherst Media.

Comcast will have 30 days to respond to the proposal and then the hard-ball negotiations really begin.  CAC advisor Epstein suggested they appoint a smaller "negotiating team" to go head-to-head with Comcast who is expected to send two employees to the sessions.

But the all-volunteer Committee may attend those sessions at full strength to offset the advantage Comcast has of using employees who do nothing but beat up, err, negotiate with cities and towns nationwide.

A $2.2 Million Hearing

 Temporary Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner (center) hit the ground running with Cable Advisory Committee

Temporary Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner attended this afternoon's meeting of the Cable Advisory Committee, who is starting to feel a bit overwhelmed by the pace of negotiations with current cable franchise holder and all around behemoth, Comcast.

The Town Manager had already spoken to CAC legal consultant Peter Epstein who "strongly recommended" yet another (3rd) public hearing be called by the Select Board to outline and defend the $2.2 million the Committee is requesting of Comcast for one time capital infrastructure improvements.

Ten years ago that amount was only $450,000, so pretty much everybody expects significant push back from Comcast.  Originally the CAC was going to put the capital amount and rational for the request in a memo to the Select Board.

The Town Manager told the Committee his first order of business was to get them two additional new members.  Currently only three members remain as two have recently resigned, so they all have to show up just to have a quorum.

After the Select Board calls the public hearing to defend the $2.2 million in capital, those arguments will be incorporated into the Request For Proposal and sent to Comcast, who will have one month to respond.

The contract also calls for the usual 5% of revenues to go to Amherst Media (around $300,000 last year).  The Select Board recently approved a request from Amherst Media to authorize a two year audit of Comcast to make sure they are getting their fair share.

The 10 year contract with Comcast expires in October, and if push comes to shove the town could simply let it expire and cable television would go dark.  Comcast is said to be not overly responsive to customer complaints, but a wailing of that magnitude will be hard to ignore.

Comcast Cable Renewal

Amherst Media is also currently looking for a new home

The Cable Advisory Committee, that once every ten year entity, is about ready to send out the Request For Proposal to Comcast for the renewal of their ten year franchise agreement worth over $6 million per year to the corporate giant.

Based on the desires of subscribers heard over two ascertainment hearings the Committee will be requesting $2.2 million in one time capital outlay to replace cameras, computers, routers, as well as replacing the entire transmission line for Amherst Media, our local access TV provider.

Ten years ago that amount was only $450,000 but the transmission lines were not then part of the renovations.  And while it's hard to calculate exactly, if approved Comcast will pass along that cost to subscribers and it will be in the $2/month range.

The Select Board will hold a public hearing after Comcast responds to the RFP, which will have a 30 day deadline.

The general public can then weigh in on whether they still support the change and/or improvements to service they requested knowing what it will cost them over the next ten years.

Last night the Amherst Select Board authorized Amherst Media to spend their own money ($18,000) on an audit of Comcast.  This morning the Cable Advisory Committee requested their attorney to go ahead with hiring a consultant to do that two year audit, even though he previously opined against it.

In addition the CAC  will be sending a memo to new Temporary Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner requesting he persue UMass over a possible illegal cable franchise.

UMass switched from town approved Comcast to Charter a few years ago for the 13,000 or so students who use cable and the Amherst Select Board never granted them a license.

Something that costs Comcast $300,000 per year.

Bottom left:  Steven Brewer, President Amherst Media Executive Committee and Alisa Brewer Chair Amherst Select Board attended this morning's CAC meeting

Audit This

Cable Advisory Committee and Amherst Media Director Jim Lescault (rt)

The Cable Advisory Committee voted unanimously today to "formally request the town of Amherst authorize via our special counsel an independent 5 year audit of Comcast."

The $28,000 study is meant to uncover any under reporting over the past five years of cable revenues generated in Amherst.

According to the current license agreement -- which expires in October -- Comcast pays the town 5% of television revenues (but not Internet or phone) which goes to fund Amherst Media.

In the most recent quarter Comcast reported $1,569,509 in qualifying revenues and cut a check to Amherst Media for $74,599.44.  The committee is also sending a memo to the Select Board on Friday outlining key negotiation requests they are seeking to be included in the new ten-year contract.

Should other cities and towns in the region join in with the audit process the $28,000 cost would be divided up equally, sort of like a class action lawsuit.

 CAC member Sean Hannon, also the town's Information Technology Director, was going to hand deliver the $28,000 formal request to Interim Town Manager Dave Ziomek. 

A Timely Audit

Amherst Media needs to relocate to a new building within the next year

In addition to the bombshell about UMass possibly being a cable scofflaw dropped at last week's Cable Advisory Committee Meeting, Amherst Media Director Jim Lescault requested the CAC authorize a five year audit of Comcast revenues.

Because Amherst Media funding (around $300K annually) consists of 5% of the Comcast pie (around $6 million annually) for every dollar the audit turns up that was, err, hidden that would be five cents in revenue to Amherst Media.

Of course there is the matter of the $28,000 cost of the audit, which could be reduced significantly if other cities and towns join in. 

 Most recent Comcast quarterly revenue report

But the audit doesn't necessarily need to turn up hidden revenues that match the cost of the audit, since the hard to measure benefit is the negotiation value of catching Comcast doing something unseemly.  Not that enormous corporations are known to do that (sarcasm).

The Cable Advisory Committee voted to support the legal services request but it will be up to the Select Board to make it so.

Cable Advisory Committee meeting 12/14/15.  One member resigned so they are in need of a new volunteer

Sweating The Contract

Amherst Media is main beneficiary of Comcast ten year contract

Even though the Comcast ten year cable license -- worth $6.3 million last year -- does not expire until October, 2016 the Cable Advisory Committee started off this morning's meeting somewhat in panic mode.

Co-Chair Kris Pacunas is worried a deadline or two in the complicated process could have been missed which would give Comcast added bargaining strength whenever they do finally sit down at the negotiation table.

At their initial mid-June meeting, their 1st since 2006, Peter Epstein, their $200/hour legal counsel, did say he wished to send Comcast an "initial contract offer" by November 1st.  And as of this morning the Committee was miles away from having that contract prepared.

In fact their attorney has not even yet provided them with a contract template that contains all the boiler plate language that is standard with any cable contract.  And the all important timeline is now out of date.

Attorney Epstein at 9/24 Ascertainment Hearing (and Comcast stenographer)

The Committee will be sending attorney Epstein a memo outlining their complaints about his performance to date and they will also be contacting the Select Board, who has final authority to sign the lucrative contract, as well.

He did attend one of the two required "Ascertainment Hearings" co-sponsored by the Cable Advisory Committee and Select Board but does not keep in close touch with the committee.

Mr. Epstein came highly recommended by Amherst Media who benefits by the 5% cut of Comcast revenues ($317,000 last year).   That 5% amount is written in stone, and these days may not even be a slam dunk.

The main bargaining issue seems to be the one-time capital upgrade to equipment that comes once every ten years.

In the last 2006 contract that amounted to $450,000, and this time around Amherst Media is looking for many times over that for the ability to broadcast their 3 channels in high definition.

Left to rt: Adrienne Terrizzi, Kris Pacunas (Co-Chair), Joan Golowich, Demetria Shabazz (Co-Chair)

In addition, one Cable Advisory member of the five has showed up to only one meeting so far,  and now that the heavy lifting has started Co-Chair Pakunas said he would contact him to find out if he will stay on the committee or not.

Next meeting the agenda calls for the Committee to have from attorney Epstein a new timeline with specific dates, a one page "summary of community needs" which includes the 5% cut of cable revenues, amount of one time capital needs money, maintain local customer service office, etc.

The Committee will also discuss having the Select Board file a complaint with Comcast over breach of the 2006 license which required all town buildings to be hard wired for live broadcast capability.

Over the years parts have been cannibalized from other locations like Jones Library, DPW, Police Station or High School in order to prioritize Town Hall and the Middle School (where Town Meeting takes place).

So not only do a majority of town buildings no longer have the ability to live broadcast, but even the two major buildings (Town Hall and the Middle School) where all the important meetings occur, the outdated equipment teeters on the brink of ruin.

Next meeting is scheduled for Monday November 30th.  But before the Committee adjourned Co-Chair Pakunas told fellow members, "I feel better now."

A Place To Call Home

Amherst Media lease extended through January 1, 2017

Eversource has agreed to extend the lease for Amherst Media at their 246 College Street 1st floor location yet again so our local cable access media provider can continue to operate thru January 1, 2017.

The Electric Company had wanted to take back their building a few years ago but allowed them to stay through December 31 this year.

Although at the moment it looks like their rent will almost double from the current $1,740/month up to $2,913/month.  Plus the cost of oil heating this winter. 

Amherst Media purchased land (2 lots) around the corner on Main Street from Barbara Guidera for $340,000 and Amherst Town Meeting took the arduous step of rezoning the property to allow for commercial operations so a new building could be constructed.

Original plans were for her son Jerry Guidary to build a new structure for Amherst Media with their long term lease/committement in hand, but that project had trouble getting financing.  

 Historic Hills House top center.  Amherst Media property in red

The $3.5 million capital fundraising campaign for the new 10,000 square foot building never materialized, so now Amherst Media has the land but have pretty much given up on the idea of constructing a new building.  

Which all comes at a fairly bad time as over the next year the town is in negotiations with Comcast for the ten year license renewal of cable TV, a deal that generated almost $7 million for the cable giant last year.

Amherst Media is funded by a 5% cut of cable TV revenues (but not phone or Internet users) from about 7,000 Comcast subscribers which last year came to $317,000 and this year is expected to be around $305,000.  

In addition Amherst Media is starting to do more fundraising (about $5,000 this year) and they have a just under 150 members who pay $15 per year.  

But, obviously, the Comcast funding is the motherlode. 

Cable Ascertainment Hearing: Repeat

Cable Advisory Committee members stand at beginning of meeting

The 2nd and final joint public meeting of the Amherst Select Board and Cable Advisory Committee to hear costumers concerns with Comcast service over the past ten years this morning was pretty much a rerun of the Ascertainment Hearing last week:  Amherst Media is amazing, but Comcast kind of stinks.

 Jones Library Director Sharon Sharry:  Would like to see all three libraries wired for broadcast

This time 19 people (vs a dozen last week) came to the microphone to present testimony, and not a one had anything good to say about Comcast.

Peggy Roberts, Town Meeting Coordinating Committee Chair:  "Amherst Media needs equipment replacement and extra staff support."

Amherst Cable Advisory member Demetria Shabazz led off the assault by pointing out Comcast is an $8 Billion company and rather than tie revenues only to the 7,000 cable TV customers it should include ALL profits including Internet and telephone.

Currently Comcast pays the town (who turns it over to Amherst Media) a little over $300,000 which represents 5% of the $6.5 million in revenues generated by 7,000 cable TV subscribers, but nothing from Internet or digital phone services.

Matthew Duranti, filmmaker:  "Amherst Media helped me get my voice out there as a young film producer"

Most of the speakers pointed out Amherst Media is critical to our democracy because of the governmental meetings they cover (Select Board, Town Meeting, Finance Committee, etc), but they are currently stuck using outdated copper wire analog technology.

Chris Riddle, member of the Town Meeting Coordinating Committee, said the lighting in the middle School auditorium is old analog theater lighting that leaves a lot to be desired for Town Meeting members trying to watch presentations and for the signal beamed to viewers at home.  He suggested Comcast upgrade the facility with new LED lighting and a digital sound system.

Louie Greenbaum:  "Town Meeting sound system at Middle School is a terrible, terrible system unworthy of Amherst"

Ten years ago at the start of the contract Comcast contributed a one-time "technology upgrade" grant of $450,000.  This time around, with the chorus of requests for fiber optic upgrade to the entire Amherst Media system, it sounds like the request will be a l-o-t higher.

Jim Lescault, Amherst Media Executive Director:  Last year we provided 504 hours of original content over our three channels 

At least one woman advocated for a switch in providers saying, "If I went to a doctor and they didn't have the equipment to make me better, why would I go back"?

But not a lot of other companies are going to wish to come to Amherst when they will have to wire the entire town to set up a new cable system.

So Comcast it is.  Only questions are will their customer service improve, and how much more money will they be willing to invest in Amherst Media?

Josh Stearns: Digital Journalism guru

Ascertain This!

Final speaker Jim Lescault, Director of Amherst Media, addresses Amherst Select Board

The Amherst Select Board and Cable Advisory Committee hosted their first of two "Cable Ascertainment Hearings" last night with the second one scheduled for Wednesday September 30 at the Bangs Community Center at 11:30 AM.

The Select Board voted to adjourn their meeting after hearing an hour-and-a-half of testimony but they kept the public hearing on all things cable open until their October 5th routine Monday night meeting so citizens have plenty of time to provide them with written comments.

The ten-year contract with Comcast expires in October, 2016 and Federal law requires two public hearings as part of the Request For Proposals targeted to Comcast.  Rates and programming are off the table as is anything related to Internet or phone service.

Cable Advisory Chair Kris Pacunas:  These public hearings are "The most important tool for our committee."  

A couple dozen citizens showed up, many of them associated with Amherst Media to champion our local cable assess entity that operates channels 12,15, and 17 -- aka, the local government beat.

Amherst School Committee member Vira Douangmay:  "Amherst Media is important for our Democracy.  People freak out when School Committee meeting are not televised."

Amherst Media is funded by a 5% cut of Comcast's overall Amherst revenues ($6.5 million) from its 7,000 subscribers, which came to $317,000 last year.

And once every 10 years a "technology upgrade" capital expense for new equipment, which came to $450,000 ten years ago.

But more than a majority of the audience came to complain about various service issues with Comcast -- either billing, quality of product or just overall customer service.

Wendy Jones Boisseau:  I own a house on Pulpit Hill Road that's hard to rent because Comcast wanted $8,000 to install cable/internet service.

Staff liaison and town I.T. Director Sean Hannon said the Comcast fiber optic access is "very valuable," but the equipment used by Amherst Media is "very old and should be replaced."

The Cable Advisory Committee will come up with a ten year contract proposal that must first be approved by the Town Manager and then final approval rests with the Amherst Select Board.

Of course if you the customer don't like the final contract, the alternatives are pretty slim.  All the more reason to make your voice heard NOW.

De Facto Monopoly?

The lucrative cable license for Comcast expires in October, 2016 so the town has revived the Cable Advisory Committee, kind of like locust that spends most of their life time in hibernation before noisily coming back to life.  

The Committee met yesterday for the 1st time in almost ten years.  Town Manager John Musante and legal consultant, Boston attorney Peter Epstein, also attended.  Epstein told the committee he was the attorney who wrote the cable agreement 3 cycles ago in the mid-1980s.

 Kris Pacunas was voted Chair

Since cable franchise is such a special field we are not using our regular town attorney from the firm of Kopelman & Paige.  Mr. Epstein is being paid $200/hour and will probably cost in the neighborhood of $20,000 total.

 Attorney Epstein (2nd from left) meets with Cable Advisory Committee 6/16

This year the contract is worth $6.3 million to Comcast and the town's 5% cut comes to $317,000 so not a lot of money to spend making sure the town doesn't get taken to the cleaners in the next contract.

Amherst provides 7,000 total subscribers, the vast majority of them using cable TV -- but that number also includes Internet and phone subscribers, which does not provide any revenue to the town.

 Virtually all of the money ($317,000)  generated by the 5% cut  -- which attorney Epstein said is "written in stone" -- goes to local cable access entity, Amherst Media.

The money issue that could be a tad more negotiable is the one-time payment for "technology upgrade."  At the start of the previous ten-year contract that came to $450,000.  

The current contract expires in October of 2016 but the renewal could theoretically be signed early.  Right now the job of the Cable Advisory Committee is to perform "ascertainment", in other words what do the subscribers want, aka a wish list?  Unfortunately cost of service and programming is not negotiable. 

Cable Advisory member Adrienne Terrizzi said "raising awareness" is, for now,  job number one.

The Amherst Select Board is the final authority and state/federal law mandates at least one Public Hearing which attorney Epstein suggested should happen after Labor Day.  He would like to send Comcast the initial contract by November 1st and they then have two months to respond.

That triggers an additional four months of "negotiations," which hopefully result in a contract both parties can live with prior to October, 2016.  The RFP is specifically written for Comcast and is not a general RFP that could be bid on by Verizon, Charter or any other provider.

Since Comcast owns all the infrastructure required to serve Amherst it is unlikely any other company would want to come in and try to replicate that.

The Internet is not only killing newspapers but cable TV as well, so the next contract (be it 5 or 10 years) could be less lucrative with each passing year.