Cable TV Company May Get Cheaper Rent on Radio Tower

Source: Union-News (Springfield, MA)

Author: RICHARD NADOLSKI

GOSHEN, MA – A cable television official learned last night that there may yet be a chance to rent space on a county-owned radio tower at what the firm views as an affordable rate.

Barbara Striebert, a representative of Amrac Cable Co. of Waltham, learned from Fire Chief Francis Dresser that there is a good possibility her company could rent space on the county tower for $1,200 a year if it only wants to place its antenna 75 feet and not 125 feet above the ground.

Amrac has won the contract to provide cable television to Goshen and Chesterfield, with the head-end site for the system to be located in Goshen. Plans to design the system have been stalled over a dispute on the cost of renting space on the 180-foot tower located next to the town’s fire station.

The county has insisted that its asking price of $6,000 in annual rent is in line with the market, while Amrac said it would not pay much more than $1,200.

Last night, during a discussion between Striebert and Goshen and Chesterfield selectmen at Town Hall, Dresser was told that Amrac did not need to place its antenna at the 125-foot height on the tower but it could be as low as 75 feet. That, he told Striebert, made him believe would significantly affect the price.

“If they’re going to put up a tower at 75 feet, my advice to the (Hampshire County) commission is if you can get $100 a month for that space, take it,” Dresser said.

Dresser not only serves as fire chief but also as director of county communications for the commission and was consulted initially about what to charge for the cable siting. He came up with $6,000, based upon what he felt the space was worth at the 125-foot height.

He said that the rental price becomes much less at the lower height because there is little or no demand for the space there, while he can fit three antennas on the three corners of the triangular tower and charge $125 a month for each corner at the greater height.

“I wear two hats. As director of communications, I had to honestly tell them what the space is worth,” Dresser told Striebert in explaining his earlier recommendation.

Based upon the new information, Striebert said she would call County Administrator Bambridge Peterson today. Dresser said he would do the same.

“I will certainly advise them that the other was a lousy deal but this is a good deal,” Dresser said.

There are other issues that would have to be resolved before Amrac could locate at the site. The company needs to build a shed and place four satellite dishes on property next to the fire station. How much space the firm would need is unclear, but Dresser said no more than 4,000 square feet of land is available.

He added that Amrac’s proposal to rent the land from the Fire Department for 15 years at $100 a month without an escalator clause allowing periodic rental increases was unacceptable. Another requirement was that all cable leading out of the site from the electronic shed and satellite dishes has to be buried to the road – a distance of about 200 feet.

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