Cable Advisory Committee

In accordance with Massachusetts General Law Chapter 166A, there is hereby established a Cable Advisory Committee (“Committee”) comprised of three (3) members. The members of the Committee shall be appointed by the Select Board, which serves as the appointing authority of the Committee and the Issuing Authority for all cable franchise licensing agreements on behalf of the Town.

Terms of Office

Committee members shall serve three (3) year terms which shall be staggered.  All subsequent appointments shall be for a three-year term commencing on July 1. In the case of a mid-term vacancy, the appointing authority shall select a new member for the remainder of the unexpired term and may re-appoint that person or select another for the term beginning July 1.

Duties

The Committee shall have the following duties to support the Select Board in the implementation of the license:

• Inform and educate the public about cable television service;
• Assess the cable needs of the community and recommend policy changes;
• Conduct regular meetings with cable company representatives to discuss matters of mutual interest;
• Report to the Select Board on company compliance with the license;
• Supervise the cable operator's response to complaints;
• Respond to residents' questions regarding the cable television system;
• Keep abreast of community programming issues;
• Management of the Public, Educational, and Governmental (PEG) Access fund;
• Develop policies and operating procedures for PEG access television, with approval from the Select Board;
• Advises on issues related to the operation of PEG access television, in concert with the Town Administrator, and other subsequent staff and vendors contracted to provide related services, in support of the recording and broadcasting local government meetings, fostering the production of local events, and making production technology and training available to the public;