In a recent session, council members debated the format of an upcoming public hearing, weighing the benefits of in-person attendance against the potential for increased engagement through a hybrid format. The council acknowledged the logistical and technological challenges of conducting hybrid meetings but recognized their potential to expand participation. A previous hybrid meeting had seen higher public involvement, leading to the consensus to include a virtual link in the legal notice for the first public hearing. This meeting was initially scheduled for May 14th, but a concern regarding the timely posting of the legal notice was raised. As a result, the council also planned a second public hearing for June 10th, allowing adequate time for legal notices and community preparation.

The council also turned its attention to the development of a community survey. The survey aims to gather public input on local cable and internet services, a topic deemed vital by the town manager for future negotiations. Members discussed various survey tools, ultimately settling on Microsoft Forms, despite its limitations compared to more advanced platforms. The choice was influenced by budgetary constraints and the need for easily quantifiable data. The survey was to include questions formatted for binary responses, such as satisfied/dissatisfied, to facilitate analysis and comparison with existing data from previous surveys. Members acknowledged the survey’s limitations in achieving statistically significant results without additional budgetary resources and recognized the importance of capturing anecdotal insights.

Council members emphasized the importance of including questions about service responsiveness and subscription costs in the survey, recognizing these as issues for residents. A proposal was made to add open-ended questions to capture diverse perspectives, particularly from those unable to attend public meetings. The council aimed to finalize survey questions after the upcoming public hearings to incorporate community feedback effectively.

The meeting also touched on the current stance of the town regarding the development of its own cable network. A member recounted a conversation with Town Manager Paul Brockelman, who expressed reservations about pursuing a townwide cable network. However, the council considered the survey an opportunity to gauge public interest in a potential future town-run internet network. They discussed including a disclaimer in the survey to clarify that while the town is not currently pursuing such a project, it remains open to consideration.

In another important topic, the council discussed Amherst Media’s strategic planning efforts. Amherst Media, celebrating its 50th anniversary, is working on a business plan to reduce its reliance on cable funding, which historically accounted for a portion of its budget. The organization aims to diversify revenue sources as cable funding now constitutes about 40 to 50% of its budget. The council expressed interest in understanding how the town could support Amherst Media’s business planning efforts, noting a more integrated approach compared to previous negotiations.