Council Approves 10-Year Comcast Franchise Deal

Photo by Evan Brandt

CHAMPIONS ALL: Pottstown Mayor Stephanie Henrick and Councilman Michael Paules took a few minutes Monday night to congratulate four Pottstown High School female wrestlers, all of whom won medals at a regional tournament in Gettysburg over the weekend. Their names are sophomore Mia Bumbarger, junior Julianna Figueroa, freshman Xiyah Robinson and freshman Daishawnia Dean

If you were thinking that a potential 10-year franchise re-up with Comcast would attract a crowd of angry villagers upset about rising fees, then you don't know Pottstown.

Sure, there were a few Facebook bros who talked about what council should do, and how Comcast should face competition, but when it was time for people with something to say to show up and say it when it actually mattered .... no shows.

So without any input from the public, council unanimously adopted the new franchise agreement,
ending the previous 15-year agreement and replacing it with another 10 years.

According to Borough Solicitor Charles D. Garner Jr., who negotiated the contract over the course of the year with Borough Manager Justin Keller, it includes a one-time technology grant of $65,000.

It also maintains two channels for PCTV, channels 22 and 28.

Keller said last week the deal with provide a 5 percent franchise fee to the borough, which works out to about $350,000 to $400,000 a year over the term of the contract.
That's about all there is to it folks.

Council also approved plans for a renovated McDonald's on Shoemake Road, a renovated car wash across the street and a whole bunch of beer gardens in the coming months.

You can read about them here, in the Tweets from the meeting.