Dracut cable access hires new executive director

DRACUT — Well, that was fast.

Weeks after DATV executive director Steve Russo announced he was leaving his post, the local cable-access station that broadcasts town meetings has hired his replacement.

Dracut native Gary Meuse has been hired to head the station, according to Jack Lyons, chairman of DATV’s board of directors.

Meuse, who is best known for running the annual scholarship telethon, is set to start work on Russo’s last day on Nov. 27. Russo has served as DATV’s executive director for about 15 months and is the fourth person to hold the job in less than two years.

Lyons has complained that DATV has had a hard time keeping the position filled since about 2006, when Comcast relinquished the responsibility of hiring DATV’s executive director. Lyons attributed the rapid turnover to competition from other municipal cable channels all looking for production staff.

Lyons said the board had spoken with Meuse several years ago when they first began looking for an executive director. Meuse hadn’t been interested until he was let go from Comcast — where he spent more than 20 years — in a recent round of layoffs. Lyons said he sees Meuse’s hire as a big gain for DATV.

“He’s going to be able to hit the ground running because he knows the community,” said Lyons.