Daniel Zuckerman is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media the town of Durham has reached a 15-year franchise pact with Mid-Hudson Cable. Under the contract, Mid-Hudson has agreed to pay a franchise fee to compensate for rights and privileges, and will pay three percent of the gross monthly revenue derived from providing cable services to customers. Mid-Hudson customers in Durham will see a three percent increase, or about $6, in their monthly bill, Town Supervisor Shawn Marriott said. Mid-Hudson’s rate of $83.90 a month for internet service is about $9 higher a month than other providers, Durham resident Joanne Schindelheim said at a recent town board meeting. “I urge the board to look at this document, item by item, against the contract and reconsider before we just sign off on it,” she said. “Is it going to kill us to wait and go through all of these fine points?” Rosemary O’Brien, also of Durham, was not present for the meeting, but has concerns about the agreement. This is the town’s second time renewing its contract with Mid-Hudson, she said. “I feel like, in signing this, they [the town] handed them [Mid-Hudson] a gift,” O’Brien said. “Basically, they’re not requiring them to put any capital into this. Town Attorney Tal Rappleyea reviewed the draft agreement for close to two months, Marriott said. “I don’t feel like we rushed into it,” he said. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.