PHOTO FROM YOUTUBE
Una Bella Salute owner Cassandra Brown speaks during a new promotional video for the Town of Berlin that was made by Comcast.

By Josh Davis, Associate Editor

(Dec. 20, 2018) Town of Berlin officials last week met with Comcast Director of Government Affairs Chris Comer to discuss a new franchise agreement and to unveil a new promotional video for the town that the company created.

According to the preliminary terms of the 10-year contract , the town would grant Comcast “the legal right to place … cable plant in the town’s right-of-way.”

The nonexclusive agreement is for cable services only, because other services such as internet, phone and home alarm systems are regulated differently under federal law. The deal would not prohibit other cable providers from offering service within the town.

In exchange for granting the right of way, Comcast would provide the town 5 percent of gross revenues, which is the maximum amount allowed under federal law. During the last fiscal year, that amounted to $75,000 in revenue for the town. Comcast would also continue to provide free cable service to town buildings and schools within city limits.

A previous agreement was approved in 2002 and expired in 2015, although both sides have continued to operate under that arrangement.

Comer said the franchise agreement was virtually identical to ones approved during the last four years in in Snow Hill, Princess Anne and Fenwick Island, among others. Comcast has more than 6,000 franchise agreements nationwide.

Mayor Gee Williams said the agreement had been up in the air for about a year, but town officials “had a lot going on.”

“We are now getting down to the point where we want to get the agreement squared away,” he said. “In the process, this fall, Comcast provided all the technical [knowhow] and all the equipment and personnel to create a very, very nice video on the Town of Berlin.”

The nearly five-minute promotion clip features interviews with Williams, Police Chief Arnold Downing, and several local businesspeople, and highlights the town’s journey from commercial insiginificance to a vigorous tourism hub.

John Fager talked about the group of 10 business owners who each contributed $100,000 to help save the Atlantic Hotel in the 1980s. Fager said there was “no expectation of getting that money back, or of garnering any profits.”

“They put his hotel back together the way it was in 1895, with all kinds of attention to detail,” he said. “They brought in a fine chef, they had fine dining, they reopened the bar, they redid the rooms … it’s like a little museum. Berlin then began to revive a little bit.”

After that, the small-town charm started to take hold, shop owners said.

“The small-town charm is really what people like,” Berlin Chamber of Commerce President-Elect Steve Frene said. “A lot of our visitors are from bigger cities, and there’s kind of a nostalgia that you get when you come to Berlin. Everybody speaks to you on the street and everybody is very pleasant, and you don’t find that everywhere.”

Una Bella Salute owner Cassandra Brown compared the town to a large family.

“Even though we are near a big resort, we’re still a small town. And we still have that small town, that country feel,” Brown said. “Berlin is unique because of its diversity [and] because it’s true to history. It hasn’t changed much over the years, as far as the look of the town.”

“It’s the atmosphere … it’s the group of people that work together,” Sisters owner Donna Compher said. “The townspeople and the merchants all work very well, and it’s a very friendly environment.”

Compher said there is ample variety in the shops and restaurants, with many offering live entertainment several nights a week.

“You’ve got everything here. Anything you want is here now,” she said.

Downing said the town is “two steps away from the beach and a stone’s throw away from Assateague,” and only a few hours away from metropolitan areas such as Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia.

Both Downing and Williams also pointed to green spaces in the town, including several public parks already up and running, and the 62-acre Berlin Falls park currently in development.

“In the future, I would see more growth. It just can only get better,” Brown said. “You just gotta see it. It’s hard to describe. You’ve gotta see it for yourself and feel the uniqueness of the town. You’ve gotta love Berlin!”

Williams said Comcast officials did an outstanding job in producing the video and highlighted a strong partnership between the small town and global communications company.

Comer recalled meeting with Williams and discussing the town’s 150th anniversary this year.

“This just seemed like a good way to be able to give back to the community,” he said. “Berlin’s a great town and … whenever I can come back and visit, I’m always happy to.”

Williams joked Comer should always remember to bring his credit card, while Comer said he’d done just that, stopping by World of Toys on his way to Town Hall to pick up a few things for his family.

As for the contract, Town Administrator Laura Allen said the town is seeking a consultant to evaluate it. She said franchise agreements are usually good for 10-15 years.

“I think it’s worth spending a little money to make sure … we’re getting a good deal for that duration,” she said.

To view the video, visit https://youtu.be/8dAtbVIUs5I.