It’s been a year since Old Rochester Community Television was left in the dark about its future budget.

As Mattapoisett stands firm in its position that it won't fund its share of the public access TV operation until it gets concessions from ORCTV, it is unclear what the effects would be on programming and the station itself.

ORCTV is supported by franchise fees, which are obtained by the town from cable providers Comcast and Verizon. Cable providers “rent” town property to lay cable, and towns receive five percent of the operating revenue. These funds are then used for public, educational and government access TV channels.  PEG programming allows residents, schools and government groups to broadcast shows on TV.

Mattapoisett, however, films its own government meetings. Because the town doesn’t use all of ORCTV’s services, it believes it should keep a bigger portion of its voluntary contribution to the station.

“Last year we received around $120,000 or $130,000 in revenue,” Mattapoisett Selectman Paul Silva said. He explained the town wants one-third of that revenue to cover operating costs associated with filming its meetings.

Silva is also on the ORCTV Negotiation Committee, formed earlier this year to address the matter. He said two meetings were held in the spring, but an agreement was not reached.

Silva said there was trouble deciding on an amount to be retained by Mattapoisett.

“ORCTV has sent us a number to discuss,” he said. “[Town Administrator Michael] Gagne is working on a budget now. I think ORCTV could find a way to work with what I think is a sufficient amount of funding.”

In a letter dated Aug. 19, the ORCTV Board of Directors proposed to Mattapoisett Selectmen that the town keep $25,000 of the more than $108,400 the town received in franchise fees from Comcast and Verizon in 2010, with the stipulation that ORCTV would not be responsible for repair or replacement of any government access equipment.

ORCTV’s stated rationale for $25,000 rather than the one-third share of $36,000 which Mattapoisett wants, is that it costs ORCTV an additional $10,000 in “incidental” costs (rent, utilities, insurance and staff time) to get Mattapoisett’s meetings televised.

ORCTV Executive Director Kim Miot said the number suggested to the town was intended as a “discussion point.” Miot is the only full-time staff for ORCTV.

Silva added that the town would continue to provide the public and educational portion of the funds, as usual.

Mattapoisett’s budget for government programs is $10,000 under a yearly contract with ORCTV. It is allowed to use $2,500 each quarter.

Late last year, however, Miot discovered the town was taking out more than $2,500. ORCTV took legal action against the town for a breach of contract.

“They weren’t following the contract,” Miot said. “Unfortunately we had to see legal action to get that extra funding back. They have paid it, though. That’s all squared away. And they have kept to the contract since.”

“I’m in favor of more government access,” she added. “We want to plan for any changes, but we don’t have any numbers in front of us [from the town]. We’re in the dark. I’m sure we will find a way to get by, but we don’t know how to plan for anything yet.”

She also said she didn’t know what would happen if the contract isn’t renewed by November. Mattapoisett residents could lose access to local programming because the town cannot broadcast without the help of ORCTV. Miot said towns run a local channel, but must broadcast through Comcast or Verizon equipment stored at ORCTV’s building.

“Our biggest on-going operating cost is rent,” Miot said. “So we’d have to cover that first. As far as cutting other programs, I don’t know. It’s so unnerving because we don’t know where to begin.”