NORTON - Norton's nonprofit cable TV corporation will save $40,000 after Director Jason Benjamin goes on a retainer at his request.

The new arrangement will start July 1.

The Norton Cable Access Corp. will pay Benjamin a flat $25,000 fee for 25 hours a week, including time in the studio, board member William Gouveia said.

Benjamin's full-time salary and benefits cost the cable board $65,000, which goes into a town revolving fund, Gouveia said.

The funds come from the roughly $200,000 the board gets from Comcast through a fee on cable bills. The cable board will use the savings to hire an in-studio person, "even if it's more administrative than technical," Gouveia said.

Norton Community Television's equipment is such that Benjamin can do much of his work from home, Gouveia said.

"Jason is very good at what he does. He has a lot of technical expertise. He's on the cutting edge of what's going on in the cable business," Gouveia said.

Benjamin recently approached the board about doing consulting, Gouveia said.

Benjamin said he came to Norton as a consultant six years ago, but the post grew to full time.

He said other municipalities have offered him work during his tenure.

Now, "I'll be on retainer for the board here, and be able to take care of everything they need to take care of, and also work with other towns as well," Benjamin said.

As a full-time town employee, Benjamin has received health insurance through the town, Gouveia said. The new deal means Benjamin will pay his own benefits and accept other clients while keeping Norton as his "primary position," Gouveia said.

MICHAEL GELBWASSER covers Norton for The Sun Chronicle. He can be reached at 508-236-0439 or at mgelbwasser@thesunchronicle.com.