Vol. 10 No. 21 Visit TapIntoSomers.net for the latest news. Thursday, September 10, 2020
Town hopes to end Optimum’s
monopoly in Somers
BY CAROL REIF As it did with New York State Elec-
STAFF WRITER tric & Gas, the town has rounded up a
posse to pursue some answers.
Fed-up Somers o cials hope that le- It took some time after the 2018
veraging public outrage—along with a power outages caused by back-to-back
regulatory component—will help them nor’easters, but the town’s utility task
wring substantial changes out of Altice force and its appeal to the New York
USA. Public Service Commission got results.
Altice, the company that owns Opti- NYSEG and its upstate a liate,
mum, is the sole provider of cable, inter- Rochester Gas & Electric, were ulti-
net, voice and data services for more than mately ned a combined $10 million
half of the households in Somers. for violating state-mandated emergency
Because credible alternatives don’t exist, response plans.
Altice operates as “a monopoly,”according Albany now appears to be pushing for
to the town’s Aug. 21 formal complaint to swifter resolutions.
the Public Service Commission. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced
In that document, Supervisor Rick on Aug. 19 that the state Department
Morrissey dubbed the company’s re- of Public Service sent Notice of Ap-
sponse to Tropical Storm Isaias “chaotic parent Violation letters to four electric
at best.” service providers—Con Edison, Orange
At the height of the Aug. 4 storm, & Rockland, PSE&G LI and Central
400,000 Altice customers reportedly Hudson—and telephone, cable, and in-
Back to school lost service. ternet provider Altice. ey were told
COURTESY OF ROSEANN MENDOZA
Saying frustration with Altice had they face “steep penalties” and “must take
The Somers Record wishes all students a good first week of school! Here’s Isabella
Mendoza, 5, on her first day of kindergarten at Primrose with big sister Sofia “reached unprecedented levels,” the su- immediate corrective actions so that sim-
Mendoza, 8, who is starting third grade at Somers Intermediate School. Send all back
to school photos to [email protected] with your child’s name, age and pervisor added that its “lack of commu- ilar failures are not repeated during the
the town you’re from for possible inclusion over the next few weeks.
nication and storm response has been remainder of the hurricane season.”
alarming.” e DPS has tightened the investiga-
“Given the current environment tion process from 12 to 24 months to
where many depend on internet access six.
for their livelihood, this type of service SEE OPTIMUM PAGE 8
is not acceptable.”
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BUSINESS & REAL ESTATE 33
CLASSIFIEDS
ELEPHANT’S TRUNK 34
LEGAL NOTICES
LEISURE 21
OPINION
SPORTS 33
31 NOVEMBER ELECTION
10 Voting explained.
30 pg 3