If cable subscribers are going to cough up money every month for media education, ORCTV is going to cough up a plan for what they’re doing with that money.

That’s according to the tri-town selectmen anyway, who demanded it at their April 27 meeting.

ORCTV caused consternation amongst tri-town residents when, earlier this year, it decided not to continue a contract with the Old Rochester school district. Under the contract, ORC TV paid the school $74,000 per year as educational funding. ORR used the money to pay for a media teaching position.

According to former ORCTV Board of Directors President Ken Souza, the grant was not meant to be permanent. He explained that ORCTV was supposed to move into the high school several years ago, and couldn’t because of a mold issue. The $74,000 payment was a peace offering at the time. ORCTV has since moved into the building, and Souza explained that the payment should have ended after the first year, but didn’t, as future board members didn’t question it.

Current ORCTV Board of Directors member Chris Charyk explained why ORCTV had decided to discontinue its contract. “A subset of the board looked over everything through the years,” he explained. “This was not a sound investment. If the goal was to provide educational opportunities in terms of making videos, it wasn’t happening. We did an analysis which indicated that this was not a viable way of continuing.”

He continued on to say that there were different, and possibly better, ways for students to get the same education. “We’ve established an audio-visual club for all members of the school, and we’re looking to expand that to other schools.” According to Charyk, ORCTV has also established a work-study program with the high school. Students who are serious about media can intern at the TV station, where Charyk said their training is at a professional level.

He encouraged anyone with concerns to come by the TV station and talk to the staff. “We think this is a positive direction and we’re happy to sit down with everyone. We feel strongly that the course we’re taking is the right one.”

“Who makes sure that the money designated for education purposes is going to education?” asked town resident Hannah Moore.

Marion Town Administrator Paul Dawson explained that each town receives franchise fees from Verizon and Comcast, the local cable providers. The town selectmen are the conduits for the received money, and in the past they have given it to ORCTV. “Their responsibility with it is to provide equipment, an education channel, and programs,” he said. “They decide the nitty gritty of it.”

Moore remained concerned, telling Charyk and Souza that a third of the money they received was required to go to education. “Right now it’s going to a 501c3 which already has a lot of money in the bank.”

ORCTV Assistant Director Gary Lawrence stepped in to define ‘education’. “We’re thinking of ‘education’ as in ‘school’,” he pointed out. “Education in Public Education and Government (PEG) means education as in teaching people to do things.”

Mattapoisett resident Mary O’Keefe pointed out that the Board of Selectmen, as conduits of the money received from Verizon and Comcast, currently direct all of that money to community television. She noted that the funds coming in could be split and divided. “Selectmen have the authority to allocate franchise fees from providers as they please,” she explained.

“I’d like to see plan from ORC TV to see exactly what they plan to do with the money that residents are coughing up on their cable bill each month,” said Mattapoisett Selectman Paul Silva. “It might be that they’re doing more than what is happening now."

The Selectmen agreed to pass a motion requiring ORCTV to turn in a plan for how they will arrange media education by November 1, 2017. Silva told Charyk that he expected to see what ORCTV has planned and what has already taken place as it takes over planning the area’s media education.