Patricia Roy
RUTLAND — Think you’re having problems with your cable bill?
The town is in the same boat with cable provider Spectrum, and hopes to have the problems resolved after a representative from the company meets with town officials.
Select Board chair Carol Benoit said this issue was in relation to getting fiber cable run to six locations throughout town, including the Community Center, the water treatment plant and several other places.
The town had planned to use American Rescue Plan Act funding for the onetime expense.
“At the end of the day, I don’t think we are all on the same page, because we are getting humongous bills from Spectrum every month,” she said, adding that the town is going to exhaust the money it had allotted for Spectrum.
Town officials are having a tough time figuring out where the “disconnect” is, she said. They have examined contracts that were signed on the behalf of the select board and reviewed the town’s cable television videos where the subject was discussed.
“I’m afraid the right questions weren’t asked, so nothing was said, maybe,” said Benoit.
A three-year agreement for internet with Spectrum was going to cost $244,000, according to Tomeca Murphy, executive assistant to the board. Only $191,000 of ARPA funds were allocated for this installation.
Spectrum originally quoted $149,000 as the cost, but came back with another $40,000 tacked on, she said. As the bills came in, town officials thought the first unanticipated charge was a fluke and contacted Spectrum, Murphy said, but the bills continued to come in at about $7,000 a month.
It took a while to get through to a representative, she said, because the calls kept getting bounced to different people.
Board member Lyndon Nichols recalled that everyone questioned the figures several times, concerned about their accuracy.
The board was clear they were authorizing for those particular dollar amounts and terms, said board member Leah Whiteman. The agreement came back at a higher amount than the board was originally told, she said.
“I think we left those meetings thinking it was all inclusive: This is the amount we’re spending for three years. Nothing else, end of bill,” Benoit said. “In three years, we were going to evaluate, and I think Spectrum was not on that same page.”
Spectrum’s licensing agreement with the town is due to be renewed Dec. 31, 2024.
