BY LINDA DeNICOLA
Staff Writer
Shrewsbury SHREWSBURY — The Borough Council has introduced an ordinance granting a renewal contract with Comcast of Monmouth County LLC. The public hearing was held on June 20.
Under the ordinance, Comcast will pay the municipality 2 percent of the gross revenues from all subscription fees paid by subscribers for cable television reception.
Councilwoman Marlene Hotaling, who was the council liaison to the Telecommunications Advisory Committee (TAC), said a lot of research was done before deciding to go with Comcast for another 15 years.
She added that the last contract was for 10 years, but by granting a 15-year contract, the committee was able to get additional concessions from the company.
“We did it for 15 years primarily because they provide good service. And they have agreed to give some grants to Red Bank Regional High School if all three towns, Red Bank, Little Silver and Shrewsbury, go through this procedure and grant 15 year contracts.”
According to the ordinance, Comcast will provide a one-time grant to RBR for television reproduction equipment once the three towns are issued Renewal Certificates of Approval by the BPU. The grant will be for $50,000 if all three towns agree to 15-year contracts.
In addition, within 12 months of BPU approval, Comcast will give the municipality a one-time grant for cable- and technology-related needs of $12,000.
Hotaling added that they are providing cable hookups for not only the school and all of the municipally owned buildings, but also for the Historical Society building and library at the grammar school.
Hotaling said the two-year old TAC committee, which is comprised of herself, representatives from the high school and the grammar school, senior homesteaders and a resident, negotiated with representatives from Comcast for the past 18 months.
“We did a survey of residents to find out if there were any complaints, any things they liked or disliked about the service. In addition, we got a report from the state BPU on the number of complaints that have been filed. We found out that there have been very few complaints.”