PITTSFIELD, Mass. — With an attorney hired and Spectrum contract negotiations set to begin in the fall, the Cable Advisory Committee wants to start the ascertainment process quickly.

Last week, the panel heard a draft timeline from attorney William Solomon, who was chosen to represent the city in its cable contract renewal. Pittsfield's 10-year contract ends in September 2024 and it is recommended that the negotiations take place over 12 months.  

To secure an agreement that meets the needs of the wider community, public input will be gathered from various sectors throughout the summer and fall, including focus group meetings with the schools and city department heads.

There will be a dedicated hearing for the general public, Pittsfield Public Schools, government, and for Pittsfield Community Television. 

"For purposes of state law, there is only a hearing required and that can be any time although we're doing hearings for ascertainment purposes, sort of ascertainment hearings," Solomon said.

"At the end of the process, if and I assume when we reach an agreement with Charter through the informal cable process negotiation, the cable act has a provision for getting public input so we'll have a hearing at that point pursuant to the cable act for purposes of the public seeing the informal cable agreement, cable license. So that would be at the end of the process."

A letter will be sent to Mayor Linda Tyer and Superintendent Joseph Curtis to notify them of the process.

"Having a forewarning that this is coming and it's a tight timeline will only improve our communication.  From my view, the focus group side is already kind of a closed process and if we want the best outcome, we need the most voices at the table," Ward 6 Councilor Dina Lampiasi said.

"And also if we are truly interested in growing our programming and extending the opportunities like within the schools or here at City Hall and different ways that PCTV could be used, we need to make sure that that part of the conversation is clear that it's open for discussion so that the person who hears about it maybe has never been involved but has had an idea knows that this is the place for them to come talk at the focus group."

Solomon would like a community petition from the city to be included in the negotiation materials that outlines the television needs of Pittsfield residents.

"I haven't done it in a long time but I think it would really be a broad sense of what Pittsfield is, as I understand and know," he said.

"A city that makes what happens here happen and that has a strong interest in community and community television."

PCTV's Executive Director Shawn Serre also suggested that compliance with the existing contract is reviewed, which the committee decided should be done between him and Solomon.

"I don't want to make it seem like they're derelict in all their duties. I don't think that's the case," Serre said. "I think they're actually generally keeping up with the things that they're supposed to be doing with regards to the current license."

There also was discussion about Pittsfield's vibrant cultural offerings and Solomon said adding an additional PEG channel for the arts may be something to discuss.

The committee is aiming to meet again on May 25.

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