By Mike Schnitzel
A public hearing will be held on July 17 to decide whether or not to grant Verizon a franchise. The proposed agreement is for 10 years, with an initial payment of $28,500 to the village, and additional public, educational, and government (PEG) grant payments of $156,000 over the remainder of the agreement.
Deputy Mayor Thomas Miccio, Village Attorney Peter Ledwith and Communications Commissioner Mike Shindler negotiated with Verizon on behalf of the village.
"I feel it's a very good contract for the village," said Miccio. "We feel the people of the village deserve a choice, and this deal gives them a choice."
Miccio said that the franchise fee is the same as under the village's franchise agreement with Cablevision, with the village receiving five percent of subscription fees. Lynbrook will also be provided with an additional public access channel under the deal with Verizon, which Miccio said would be used as a message board to relay important messages and post announcements to residents.
"At first look it's a great thing for the village," said Trustee Richard Clifford. "When you have two competing entities it can only benefit the consumer, and in this case it's the consumers of the village of Lynbrook."
Municipal buildings, including Village Hall, the library, fire companies and schools will be provided with cable service by Verizon free of charge. However, South Middle School, Marion Street School and Waverly Park School will not receive free service under the deal, as they are not in the incorporated village. Miccio said that the village cannot negotiate for entities outside the village, but that the schools could independently work out a deal with Verizon.
Lynbrook would become the fifth area in Nassau County in which Verizon would be allowed to provide with cable service. Massapequa Park was the first village to approve an application by Verizon in September 2005. Since then, Rockville Centre, the Town of Hempstead and Cedarhurst have approved applications by the company to come into their areas. Cablevision was the village's sole cable television provider after absorbing the previously exclusive Adams-Russell cable company in the mid-1980s.
Representatives from Verizon and Cablevision will have the opportunity to make presentations at the July 17 public hearing. Miccio said that if the board is ready to vote, it may make a decision on the matter as early as the July 17 public hearing. Any ruling by the board would have to be approved by the New York State Public Service Commission, a state agency that must approve any and all applications submitted by cable television providers to make sure their agreements comply with state regulations and law. They are allowed to make changes in agreements as they see fit.
Comments about this story? MSchnitzel@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000, ext. 265
