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TC 12-03-97 Telecommunications Commission Regular Meeting · '~ December 3, 1997 MINUTES CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Chairman Ernest Tsui at 7:02 p.m. ROLL CALL Commissioners present: Bill Mannion, Sal Algeri, Mike Wincn, Ernest Tsui and L.T. Guttachuro Staff: Donna Krey, Linch Lagergren De Anza College: Ron Fish TCI: Dave Walton, Bruce Dinger Guests: Linch G-rodt, Karen Burnett (FUHSD), Suzaune Sanders (CusD) APPROVAL OF NOV. 5, 1997 MINUTES Mannion made a motion to approve the minutes as written; Algeri seconded and the motion passed unanimously. COMMUNICATIONS Oral: G-rodt mentioned to Ron Fish that she had not received her certificates from the WAVE Awards and that it had been over a month. Fish said that he would give contest coordinators a call. He said that none of the finalists had received certificates as of yet. Written: None Chair Tsui and the commission agreed to take the TCI report out of order because the TCI representatives had to leave early for another commitment. Report from TCI: Dinger reviewed the company's report for the month of October. He explained that the 30-second answering time went up to 82 percent, from 78 percent last month and that things were beginning to return to normal. They are still continuing to hire for customer service reps. He mentioned TCI had quite a few sun outages that affected all of the Cupertino customers, but only for a brief time. Elevated complaints went up from 3 percent to 5, but he said they are working on those. OLD BUSINESS Update on TCI rebuild issues: Walton reviewed a letter TCI faxed to the city that day stating that TCI is agreeing to go with the requirements in the city's franchise agreement to complete a 750 MHz upgrade to its cable system. In order to incorporate interactive services and digital TV in the system design, TCI is requesting that the deadline for completion of the upgrade be extended from June 6, 1998 to Dec. 31, 1998. Krey said staff would take this request to the city council in January. Algeri asked if, in regards to the upgrade, will ~Home require the full system to be in place before it can be offered. Walton said he would ask the engineering staff and get back to the commission. Outtadauro complemented the commissioners who were involved in the discussions with TCI on taking an active and a participatory role in reviewing TCI's original proposal and developing recommendations for the city. 1997 project timeline: Wincn asked commissioners to let him know when they had changes or additions to the timeline. Guttadauro said he felt after reviewing the timeline that nothing needed to - be added or deleted, just updated on a calendar basis. Krey agreed commissioners should keep it as long as it is working and for commissioners to remember to keep Wincn informed of any changes. Winch said he would change the grant deadlines. Telecommunication Haison with other cities: There was no report. Production of videotapes: Tsui reported that he and Mansion met with Nicol Lea and Mayor Chang on Nov. 13 to go over the procedures for the cultural richness project. Mannion will guide Lea in producing the project and Mayor Chang will provide professional review. Lea will get together volunteers to produce the project. Fish gave Mannion a list of volunteers and he lined up a director and camera people. Lea is filling out the producer proposal and turning it into Fish. Tsui said that Lea wants to get input from the community on major diversity issues. Marmion said they wanted to use the Scene to advertise and also get some publicity in the Courier. Tsui stated that Lea planned to tape four shows per year. Krey reported that she would follow up on Marquita Byrd's $500 grant money check. (Commission agreed to take this item out of order) NEW BUSINESS Educational grant requests from Cupertino Union School and Fremont Union High School districts: Suzanne Sanders summarized Cupertino Union School District's grant proposal. Guttadauro asked if there would be a conflict with the grant if parents were buying the tapes that the students produced. Krey said she didn't think it would be a problem if they were returning all the money back to the project. Wincn asked if Krey could check with the city attorney for his opinion on this matter. Wincn commented that he thought the goals and deadlines were rather ambitious. Wincn asked if Fish had reviewed the budget and Fish stated that the budget looked good. Krey said that the school would give a mid-year status report and then a final report. Karen Burnett summarized Fremont Union High School District's grant proposal. Burnett mentioned that they were planning to do a voice over in Mandarin on the tapes they produce. Guttadauro made a motion to accept both grants as submitted, with C.U.S.D. modifying its budget to $5,000; Algeri seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously. Krey said this would go to city council on January 5, and the districts would receive their checks approximately two weeks later. OLD BUSINESS Annual Report: Aider some discussion, commissioners agreed to simplify this project by using a teleprompter and Powerpoint, if it works. Community education event (1998): Krey suggested commissioners wait until January to discuss this because it will be a new goal for the year. It was also suggested that TCI do a presentation to the community in the spring. Krey said that the commission could start thinking of ideas for the next meeting to promote this. COPA (Cupertino Outstanding Producer Award) presentation: The presentation will be at De Anza College on December 10, from 6 to 8 p.m. Krey showed the plaque to the commission and said that the Courier and the Alliance newsletter received press releases on the presentation and that it will be in the Mercury tomorrow. Web Page Update: Krey said the city is in the process of biting an MIS person, after conducting two recruitments. Interviews were held tbis week and, hopefully, the city will select someone soon. NEW BUSINESS Discussion of funding maintenance requests for public access grants: Krey said that the '-' .~ commission requested that this item be on the agenda because at thc last meeting Cupertino Senior TV Productions came in with a grant proposal that included maintenance on their own equipment. Commissioners wanted to look through the guidelines to see if there was a provision for that. Some of the commissioners at the last meeting felt there should not be funding for maintenance of personal equipment. Krey said she didn't see anything in the agreement that addressed that issue. Wincn felt that philosophically it was a bad idea. Krey said from the city's point of view, it probably isn't a good use of grant money. She said she would tell the Senior TV people that it doesn't include maintenance of personal equipment. Reports from: De Anza College: Fish distributed the Program/Review Usage Report. He said November was a slow month, December will be even lower in usage but then in January things will pick up. Fish said this month they produced three music shows and the producers are getting ready for BACE awards. He also said it rained pretty hard and the studio drain worked fine. He also said the live sports show, "Sports Rap" is going off the air in Jan, ory. Tsui is going to draft a thank you letter for the drain and emergency lights and forward the letter to Krey. City of Cupertino: Krey said the Commissioner's Dinner will be on Friday, Feb. 6, and the State of the City address will be on Tuesday, Jan. 27. Guttadanro said he would like to apply for reappoirCmient on the commission. Krey said many cities are locked in a baffle with TCI over an issue of franchise fees. She distributed an article that discusses this issue. TCI is telling cities that in December it is planning to increase the franchise fee. The company is now asking for the maximum permitted 5%. It wants to have on customer's bills 5.26%, which the cities are saying is illegal. By federal law, TCI can only ask for 5% franchise fee, but TCI is saying it has to recoup this loss because of the court decision and it is going to be charging 5.26%. TCI has told the city that customers will receive notices in December explaining this. Election of Chair and Vice Chair for 1998: Tsui nominated Mannion for Chair. Mannion declined the nomination, however, after discussion by commission, Tsui again nominated Mannion for Chair, Algeri seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously. Wincn nominated Algeri for Vice Chair; Tsui seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously. ADJOURNMENT Outtadauro made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 9:02 p.m.; Mannion seconded and the motion passed unanimously. ATTEST: APPROVED: City Clerk~g~~~ Chairperson