Village Renews 12-Year Franchise Agreement with Cablevision

Trustees renewed a 12-year franchise agreement with Cablevision after a brief public hearing on the matter Nov. 7.

This marks the third franchise agreement Cablevision has had with the village; the last one expired a little more than one year ago, according to Jeffrey Clark, director of government affairs for Cablevision, which has been able to continue providing service through a temporary operating authority.

Cablevision will provide the village with an $18,000 grant within 30 days of the agreement's effective date, as well as a $30,000 grant payable 90 days from the effective date.

The village will use the $48,000 grant to purchase surveillance cameras for every Garden City park as well as all water facilities.

Further, Garden City will receive 3 percent of gross revenues. In the past, the village has received on average $187,000 in gross revenues. (Officials initially stated $87,000 at Thursday's board meeting.) The federal cap is 5 percent.

The agreement moving forward is slightly different than in years past due to changes in the marketplace. With Verizon on the market, the Public Service Commission requires the agreement not be more or less burdensome than the other, Clark said.

"To meet that level playing field threshold we've taken the Verizon agreement and adopted most of it - there are some differences because they are a telephone company and we're a cable company - but on the whole, and what the Public Service Commission is looking for, they are equal," he said.

The agreement is non-exclusive and is slightly less than Verizon's but it's designed to have them both expire at the same time, Clark added.

Trustee Dennis Donnelly, who serves as chair of the newly formed board sub-committee on technology, said trustees "worked long and hard on this agreement over many many months."

"It's an excellent contract for the village. It's an excellent contract for Cablevision," said Donnelly, who's familiar with the industry as he worked for Verizon for 35 years.

The agreement could take effect in a week, he said.