‘The Price is Right' for Dingman

Six-figure settlement of unpaid TV cable franchise fees, By Anya Tikka DINGMAN — Blue Ridge Communications and Dingman Township have reached an agreement over unpaid cable TV franchise fees over a period of about ten years, amounting to over $200,000. A 30-year-old franchise agreement stipulates Dingman is entitled to two percent of the income Blue Ridge gets from the township residents. “I found out that Delaware Township had a problem with Blue Ridge initially by reading a newspaper article about it,” said Karen Kleist, combined secretary and treasurer of the township Board of Supervisors after their June 1 meeting. “It led me to think we might have the same problem.” The township put in a request for accounts from about six months to a year ago. They revealed Dingman was owed about $230,000 by Blue Ridge’s own calculations. Negotiations were started with Blue Ridge, involving legal inquiries and phone calls by Township Solicitor John Klemeyer. “Instrumental in reaching the settlement were both Karen (Kleist), and the township solicitor John Klemayer,” said Supervisor’s Chair Tom Mincer, crediting both Kleist and Klemeyer for their efforts. “A check for $119,310 has been received and deposited,” representing an amount reached by negotiation. While it’s less than the original amount, the legal fees which were avoided, would have reduced the township’s award and have resulted in about the same amount. As part of the settlement, Blue Ridge agreed not to pass the settlement costs on to its customers. “The monies will go to the park and recreation fund,” added Mincer. Delaware Township is still in the middle of a dispute with the company over the same issue, and the township Chair of the Board of Supervisors Ted Parsell said, via Board Secretary Iliana Hernandez, that because they are in the middle of a class-action lawsuit against the company, he couldn’t comment. Kleist speculated that Delaware Township could not reach a settlement by negotiation possibly because the amounts involved were larger, but she wasn’t sure. “What’s nice is this money will go back to benefit the community,” said Kleist. In other business In his report, Chris Wood, Sewage/Zoning Enforcement Officer, said there was another chance for those residents who had not disposed of their electronics at the township’s Clean-up Day. Pike County is having an electronics recycling day from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on June 12 at the Delaware Township Municipal Building.