SALEM – The utilities commission approved a new contract for internet service in a special meeting Thursday.

The contract will see a dedicated fiber-optic treatment installed for the water treatment plant as part of a five-year contract with Spectrum. The contract will see the utilities department pay $36,000 for the initial construction with a guaranteed monthly rate of $425 for the next five years, with the first three months of service being free. The new installation would also be dedicated solely to the water plant, with nobody else adding onto it for internet service later.

Commission Chairman Bob Hodgson explained that the alternative would be to build a new tower to access the city’s existing wireless connection, which he said would have had an initial construction cost of more than $100,000, and ongoing maintenance costs which the deal with spectrum will not.

“Our total cost is, at least, only two thirds of what a tower alone would be with no maintenance,” said Hodgson.

A Spectrum representative said that typically the construction time for an installation of this nature would be 60 to 90 days, but that it would likely be expedited for the department to ensure it is completed and operational before the onset of winter weather conditions. He also noted that when the current five-year contract is up, that typically renewals result in a decrease in the cost of service per month, and that it would also lack the initial construction fee, further reducing the cost compared to the current contract.

The meeting concluded with an executive session for the discussion of legal matters with no action to follow. The utilities commission will meet next 3 p.m. on Aug. 21.