The long awaited cable franchise agreement between the Great Neck/North Shore Cable Commission (comprised of 15 incorporated villages) and Verizon has been hammered out over months of negotiations and awaits public input and inspection before it is finalized.

The public hearing will be held on Thursday, Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. at Great Neck South Middle School auditorium, 349 Lakeville Road. If approved, the franchise agreement would be in effect for 10 years. Residents from the villages listed below are invited to attend and participate in the hearing. The proposed agreement and other supporting documents are available for perusal at the respective village halls of these villages: Flower Hill, Great Neck, Great Neck Estates, Great Neck Plaza, Kensington, Kings Point, Lake Success, Munsey Park, North Hills, Plandome, Plandome Heights, Plandome Manor, Russell Gardens, Saddle Rock, Thomaston.

The following summary of the salient points of the agreement was provided by the North Shore Cable Commission and is reprinted here in full:

The agreement is for a term of 10 years.

Verizon will provide cable television service to all areas of each village. At the present time, Verizon has rewired substantial parts of most villages. In each of the villages, it is expected that any local issues which have delayed completion of the FIOS wiring will be resolved promptly, so that construction can continue. Verizon has refused (as it also has refused in all other franchise areas) to include in the franchise agreement any commitment to completion of wiring in less than the five years permitted by Public Service Commission (PSC) rules. However, marketplace considerations make it clear that Verizon will in fact act faster than this schedule, and all areas should expect to receive the cable service shortly after PSC confirmation of the franchises.

Verizon will pay a franchise fee of 3 percent of gross revenues. The definition of gross revenue is the broadest which is permitted under present federal law, and also includes a provision which will incorporate any future changes in federal law. Present federal law does not permit franchise fees to be paid on Internet service or telephone service, even if they are provided by use of the same cable used for cable television service.

Verizon will provide free connection and basic service for one service outlet at each public building location listed in Exhibit A of the franchise in each village.

Verizon will provide the ability to cablecast alphanumeric programming, and taped and live television programming, from each village hall, from the Public Access Television location, and from each school district, the public library, and park district. The ability to provide live programming from these various locations will commence within a period of time stated in the respective Exhibits D, upon request from the local entity. Alphanumeric programming will be available, via Internet connection, from day one, and taped programming will be available from day one with programs to be physically delivered to the PATC office in Lake Success.

Verizon's system will be designed for interconnection with other Verizon systems in neighboring communities, and other cable companies operating in the villages. Verizon will deliver the Town of North Hempstead access channel to each subscriber in each village, and will deliver the school, library and park district programming to each unincorporated area within those respective districts.

Verizon will provide nine channels for public, educational and government access programming. One channel will be reserved for fulltime use by the Public Access Television Corporation, one for the Great Neck Public Schools, one for the Manhasset Public Schools, one for the Great Neck Public Library, one for the North Shore public libraries, one for the Great Neck Park District and one for the North Shore park districts. In addition, there will be one channel shared by the Great Neck villages, and one shared by the North Shore villages.

Verizon will also make various payments in support of the public, educational and governmental access programming operated or supervised by the Public Access Television Corporation (PATV). A payment of $300,000 will be made for that purpose, within sixty days after the franchise is approved by the Public Service Commission, and an additional $150,000 will be paid for that purpose one year later. In addition, Verizon will pay PATC 1 percent of gross revenues, in addition to the 3 percent paid to each individual village, to be used for PEG support purposes. Verizon will also pay PATC $2.12 per subscriber per month for the first five years of the franchise, and $2.40 per subscriber per month for the next five years.

Verizon will make all reasonable efforts, including an application to the PSC if required, to interconnect its system with the existing Cablevision system, or the system of any other cable provider holding a franchise from the village.

Verizon also has agreed to a schedule of penalties, which will apply for various franchise violations which do not rise to the level of material violations. In the case of material violations, the franchise can be terminated by each village.

Verizon will pay the Great Neck/North Shore Cable Commission $5,000 as an administration grant, which will be used to defray costs of administering the franchise.