Concerns Arise About Ed. Channel Funding

The approval of a new educational channel for the Hampton School District has been delayed yet again after selectmen say more talks are needed with the district because some selectmen are "not really sure" what the district "wants to do."

Members of the community have urged selectmen in recent weeks to formally sign off on the channel and allow the Hampton School Board to use $25,835 of the cable franchise fees to cover payroll costs to implement new educational programming, although Selectmen Ben Moore and others said Monday they need more information about how the money would be spent before approving the plan.

"I'm not prepared tonight to authorize this money," Moore said on Monday. "If this [money will cover] exclusively payroll... I think we need to review what we’re paying for [Channel 22 employees'] time. I think what we may be providing for the school will be much higher. I think that might send the wrong message to people who have been doing this work week in and week out for a number of years. I think there’s some background work we should focus on prior to this request. I'd like to move that forward as quickly as possible."

Town Manager Fred Welch confirmed that Moore's assumption about the hourly pay for the part-time school employee overseeing the new channel is correct, as Welch said the hourly rate requested is double what the town currently pays for Channel 22 employees' stipends.

Moore said he's also concerned and "not clear" on how the town will be able to give the money to School Administrative Unit 90 while maintaining existing hardware and paying stipends to Channel 22 employees, as he said $60,000 of the anticipated $80,000 coming in this year in franchise fees will go for those purposes.

"I think it’s going be very tight with this $25,000 coming out," said Moore. "I'd like to get clearer on it. I'd like to have the meeting [with school officials]."

Selectmen and Comcast reached and approved a new cable franchise agreement in February for the first time in more than six years. One of the things secured in the negotiations was funding for a second local access channel, which Comcast will allow SAU 90 and at least one other municipality in SAU 21 — which covers Winnacunnet High School and North Hampton School but isn't connected to SAU 90 — to use.

Selectman Dick Nichols said he believes the funds used to cover SAU 90's payroll costs will "have to be addressed on an annual basis" because they "may be different in subsequent years," which is why he would like to get "some level of projection" to see if $25,835 is "reasonable" before selectmen approve the funds.

Art Gopalan, speaking Monday night as a resident and not as a member of the Hampton School Board, said that the town and district "have been dancing this tune for a long time" while discussing the channel, which he said would have original content about the schools. Gopalan also said running the channel would involve more than "just putting it on with a CD" of a prerecorded public meeting.

A box van has already been purchased for mobile broadcasts for SAU 90, and Gopalan said the town and district "need to come to a decision... to do it or not do it" soon.

Selectmen Mary-Louise Woolsey agreed, stating that the funds should be approved quickly because selectmen and the town have already vetted the district's intentions with the channel.

"I think it's time to stop fiddling around and get the schools on board and broadcasting," said Woolsey. "Get it done."

The Hampton School Board was scheduled to meet Tuesday night, and a discussion about the educational programming was expected.