Reprinted from Jay Community News. April 11, 2013. This is great news for all of us in AuSable Acres. I will keep you posted as we get new information.

Rosemary Barry, AAPOA President

HERE IS SOME INFORMATION ON THE PROJECT FROM SUPERVISOR DOUGLAS

The broadband project in the Town of Jay will cover AuSable Acres and 1 road in Wilmington as Charter Communications is doing the matching dollar cost of $850,000. There is no cost to us as a municipality. Charter will only add (do build outs) to populated areas. 20 homes per linear mile as per our franchise contract agreement. We had them do a survey 3 times over the last 9 years in the acres and each time the amount of homes increased but were still about 2 homes short per linear mile for them to do a build out in that area. Therefore, when the Governor announced the Broadband grant application we met with Charter to see if they would cover the matching funds if we were successful in the joint application with the Town of Wilmington, Charter Communications, and the Town of Jay and they agreed. There were over 98 million dollars worth of applications with only 25 million of dollars to be awarded and fortunately we were chosen for $557,000. I would love to do other areas in Town and have had surveys done by Charter on other roads but there are just not enough potential customers to make it worth their financial efforts.

We, the Town, just negotiated a new 5 year contract with Charter. Charter wanted a 10 year as it has been ever since they established in the Town and to up the amount of homes in an area where they would be required to do a build out to 25 homes in a linear mile instead of 20. We refused their new proposal and have been going month to month since September on a temporary contract. We now have negotiated with Charter to agree to a new 5 year contract and keep the 20 home requirement.

Randy Douglas, Supervisor