Stoughton Select Board Conditionally Approves SMAC Settlement, Ending Federal Lawsuit

STOUGHTON -- March 26, 2026, Stoughton Select Board votes 4-1 to settle federal lawsuit with community access TV operator SMAC. The board, meeting March 26, approved both a settlement agreement and a new access agreement with the Stoughton Media Access Corporation following roughly five months of negotiations and nearly two hours of executive session. Both approvals are conditional: SMAC's board must execute both documents by Tuesday, March 31, 2026, or the Select Board will re-notice the public hearing. Bob Mullen, a Stoughton resident and SMAC board member, read a joint statement declaring the parties "a better Stoughton," while the Chair's statement committed the board to "high-quality local programming" and "transparency." Member John Carrera credited attorneys Zoppo and Winner, "they brought it over the finish line", for closing the deal.