STURBRIDGE - “We’re experiencing technical difficulties” is a phrase residents may not be hearing anymore regarding local cable broadcasts.
“When people say ‘when are we going to get better quality?’ It’s coming,” Cable Advisory Committee member Al Jones told selectmen last week.
Members of that committee presented the board with a proposal March 15 that would fund upgrades for local cable access equipment and staff.
In October, the board was faced with renewing their contract with Charter Communications, the town’s cable provider. Frequent resident complaints about the quality of local meeting broadcasts prompted selectmen to consider finding another provider.
When it became apparent current infrastructure makes competition unlikely, the board tapped the cable committee to find the best deal for funding cable access improvements.
Last week, the committee presented their recommendation.
“This will provide true public access,” said committee member Mary Afable. “Right now we have very limited access.”
Calling current access “far inferior” to area towns, Afable said the change would allow for new equipment to be purchased, create a part-time position to manage materials and volunteers and offer residents a valuable resource within a few years.
All of the upgrades will be paid for through a surcharge tacked onto resident’s cable bills. When the contract takes effect ratepayers can expect a $2.05 increase to their monthly bill.
The surcharge will pay for a part-time staff member who would work 19 hours a week. Duties include overseeing meeting coverage, coordinating volunteers, training and reviewing community submissions.
Equipment upgrades would allow for more meetings to be shown on the government access channel, which currently has the capability to show one meeting on a loop. Additional meetings could be taped as well.
Donald Fairbrother, a volunteer who aided the committee with their research, said as many as 150 meetings could be taped in one year.
He said other events would be suitable for recording and placing on the channel. Scout group and senior center activities, as well as school events are some examples.
Fairbrother said he and others plan to create an informational video about the town’s trail system to help spread the word to residents.
“So many things can be taped and played,” he said.
The board voted unanimously to adopt the recommendation and renew their contract with Charter Communications for five years.
Selectman Thomas Creamer thanked cable committee members for their recommendation.
“They did an awful lot of work in a short period of time,” he said.