City Council renews Havre Charter franchise

The Havre City Council during its meeting Monday unanimously approved a franchise agreement with Bresnan Communications LLC, which owns Charter Communications, while criticizing a recent decision to close Charter's Havre office.

Doug Kaercher, Havre finance director and city clerk, said that in recent years the agreement was merely renewed, but a new agreement had been reached between the city and Bresnan.

The text of the agreement said it will last 10 years and will automatically renew every five years.

Kaercher said the agreement extends the 5 percent franchise fee on gross revenue on cable services that Bresnan must pay to the city on a quarterly basis. It also specifies how the fee is paid and other details about how Bresnan conducts its business with the city

Council member Caleb Hutchins asked Kaercher if there was anything the city could do to require Charter to keep its Second Street West office open.

"I've gotten a few people complaining about that. If we're renegotiating a franchise is there anything we can do to have them keep an office in town?" Hutchins said.

Kaercher later said neither the former or new agreement required that Charter maintain an office in Havre.

Charter announced last week that, effective Oct. 28,  they would close their Havre retail location.

Brett Picciolo, a regional Charter spokesperson, said last week that the amount of traffic the store received was small compared to other stores.

The store acted as a location where subscribers could make payments and either exchange, drop off or pick up equipment.

Charter will cover the cost of sending new cable boxes and equipment to customers when needed at no extra cost in lieu of a retail location.

Council member Terry Lilletvedt said if the store was open more often, the office would be used more often.

"So I am not really pleased with the fact they are closing their office," she said.