It seems Time Warner Cable may have some competition for Boothbay’s paid television market. Lincolnville Telephone Co. has proposed entering into a franchise agreement with the town to introduce Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) through the use of fiber optic technology.

Lincolnville Telephone already has infrastructure in place to deliver programming for East Boohbay residents. The infrastructure was established when Lincolnville Telephone placed fiber optic wires along Route 96 connecting Miles Hospital in Damariscotta to St. Andrews Urgent Care Center in Boothbay Harbor.

Lincolnville Telephone Co. already has local franchise agreements with Boothbay Harbor, Edgecomb, Nobleboro, Damariscotta and one pending with Newcastle.  The company is hoping to enter into a similar deal with Boothbay.

And on March 11, Lincolnville Telephone Co. manager of plant operations Louis Rector asked the selectmen to enter into an IPTV franchise agreement with his firm.  According to Rector, IPTV is not cable television. And Lincolnville Telephone’s proposal wouldn’t violate Boothbay’s exclusive agreement with Time Warner Cable to provide the town with cable television.

The selectmen will consider the agreement after town attorney Sally Daggett reviews the proposal.

“I think an agreement would greatly benefit the town,” said Selectman Steven Lewis. “This is a good start and I’d love to see this made available to everybody in town. But first, we need to hear what Sally has to say.”

IPTV is a system where television services are delivered using the Internet protocol suite over a packet-switched network such as local area network (LAN) or the Internet. The fiber optic technology provides more bandwidth and choices for the consumer. Lincolnville Telephone plans on expanding its fiber optic system throughout the town as demand grows for IPTV and other broadband services.

“We’re a small company doing big things. I can’t tell you how long it will take before we run fiber optics through the entire town,” Rector said. “But I can say, the more demand there is then the faster it will come.”

The selectmen agreed that another paid television provider would be good for the town. The selectmen complained about the current Time Warner Cable franchise agreement. The selectmen were frustrated the agreement automatically renews each year. The selectmen have attempted to renegotiate the agreement without any success.

Selectman Charles Cunningham believes an agreement would be good only if Lincolnville Telephone is committed to serving the entire town.

“I don’t think it’s too much to ask for a timeline,” he said. “It’s a sore point from the past Time Warner franchise agreement. They promised to connect the whole town, but there’s still parts not covered.”

In other action, the selectmen received an update on the comprehensive planning committee’s progress. The committee has completed a first draft and will review the proposed changes on March 16 with the planning board. The  draft is available on the town’s website, according to interim town manager Dan Bryer.

Cunningham, who is also the comprehensive planning committee chairman, said the draft outlines the town’s growth plan for the next generation.

“It’s a good plan,” he said. “I hope a lot of people look at it and provide feedback. The plan presents the community’s vision for the next 20-25 years.”

The selectmen also heard about the planning board’s work on three proposed ordinance changes. The planning board has completed work on the state’s proposed Floodplain Zone Management Ordinance. The selectmen voted 4-0 to place the new ordinance on the May town meeting warrant.

The planning board is also conducting workshops on revising the cell tower and timber harvests in the shoreland zone ordinance.

The selectmen are also close to completing their work on the municipal budget and referendum questions for the town meeting. The selectmen will hold a March 18 public hearing to review the municipal budget. The hearing will start at 7 p.m. in the municipal building.

The selectmen will hold a March 25 public hearing to review the referendum town meeting articles. The hearing will be held at 7 p.m. in the municipal building. The selectmen will hold their regularly scheduled board meeting at 6 p.m.