Town ‘Close’ to Deal With TV9

Seekonk officials continue to work on a new access agreement with TV9 following months of negotiations.

“We’re close but not there yet,” Town Administrator Shawn Cadime said at Monday’s Fall Town Meeting.

Last May, the Select Board voted to rescind the designation of the Seekonk Cable Access Corporation as the cable access provider for the town. Cadime said the town’s legal counsel had made the recommendation.

Chair Michelle Hines, Justin Sullivan, and Chris Zorra were ‘yes’ votes, with Pam Pozzi in opposition. Michael Healy abstained.

A warrant article calling for the appropriation of funds for PEG access was indefinitely postponed.

“We want it back,” Hines said of TV9’s government and educational programming. “You get attorneys involved and it takes forever. We are so close (to a resolution). I wouldn’t want to mess this up in any way.”

“We at TV9 feel as though a contract with the Town is forthcoming,” Board President Andrea Rosseter told the Reporter. “We thank our community's Comcast subscribers for your patience, continued support, and desire to keep PEG programming alive. We look forward to continuing our partnership with you, and the Town.”

TV9 suspended operations on April 1.

On April 10, Sullivan said TV9’s financial records “showed in excess of $500,000 in cash and securities, (as well as) a rental property that they collect income from.”

Healy said at a May meeting that he was “extremely disappointed” about government meetings not being recorded and hoped a resolution to the conflict would be forthcoming.

Select Board meetings are now being broadcast on the Town’s You Tube channel.

Tensions between the town and Seekonk Cable Access had intensified after

$128,000 in funding designated for TV9 was withheld. Those funds are given to the town by Comcast for the purpose of providing PEG access to the subscribers.

Former TV9 Board member Deborah Hoch was critical of the negotiations the town is having with TV9’s Board.

“How can you make and solidify an agreement with an illegal board and one that has complaints against them?,” Hoch said Tuesday. “I’m not sure it’s legal. Comcast subscribers are still paying their five percent toward PEG access. (Seekonk Cable Access Corporation) had no right to turn that off. It’s a disservice to the Comcast subscribers.”

The state is investigating allegations of discrimination filed against the former Board of Directors of TV9.  Hoch and Kristen Montgomery filed complaints with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD) in September 2023. David Saad, the former President of the Board, denied Hoch’s allegations.

Last November, Hoch requested the Select Board refrain from distributing funds to TV9 until the Attorney General’s office released their findings. Hoch told the Reporter she submitted 100 pages of documents to the state for review.