TC 10-02-96 Telecommunications Commission
Regular Meeting
October 2, 1996
MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Chairman Mike Wincn.
ROLL CALL
Present: L.T. Guttadauro, Bill Mannion, Ernest Tsui, Mike Winch
Staff: Donna Krey, Laura Newman
TCI: Kathi Noe; Sedrick Spencer
Guests: Linda Orodt, Leonard Batchelor
APPROVAL OF SEPTEMBER 4, 1996 MINUTES
L.T. Outtadauro made a motion to approve the minutes as written; Bill Mannion seconded and
the motion passed tmanimously.
COMMUNICATIONS
Oral: There were none.
Written: There were none.
OLD BUSINESS
Discussion of telecommunication experts presentation: Marmion informed the coraraission
members that February 12, 1997 had been chosen for the telecommunication experts presentation. It
will take place at the Qulnian Center from noon to 1:30 p.m. during the regularly scheduled Rotary
Club meeting, panel discussion will run from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. A crew from De Anza College will
videotape the event. The next steering committee meeting will be held on October 10 and at that time
there will be discussion about the actual letter that is sent out inviting participants to the event. Krey
explained that the idea is to have two hardware representatives (TCI, PacBell) and two software
representatives (Netscape and CityNet). Telecommunication businesses in Cupertino will be invited to
set up tables around the perimeter of the room and display their products.
Discussion of commission timeline for projects: Winch said he will update the timeline to
include the date of Feb. 12 for the telecommunications experts presentation.
NEW BUSINESS
Grants campaign update: Guttadauro reported that he, Mannion and Wincn attended the
Sept. 25 De Anza College producers meeting to explain the grants process to the approximately 25
people who were in attendance. The producers were told that applications were available that night for
those interested. Krey said she has received one grant request from The Better Part as of tonight's
meeting. The deadline is October 15. All grants received by that date will be in the commission's
November packet.
ICrey asked the commission members how they wanted to respond to the letter in their packet
from Tony Kinkella. He received a grant from the commission prior to moving to Southern California.
As part of his original grant request, he was going to build a special table to be used in one of the
studios as part of a new set. Instead, he spent the money in a different way. Cmttadauro made a motion
to write Kinkella an admonishrflent letter from the Telecommunications Commission regarding his
actions and stressing the importance of living up to the original agreement. Mannion seconded and the
motion passed unanimously.
Telecommunications Ordinance: Krey asked the commissioners to give her written
comments about the ordinance so she could pass them on to Cheryl Kershner, the attorney who dra~ed
it, for her comments. Tsul asked if the commission could sec the comments from the attorney and
Krey told him she would provide thc information in next month's packet. Kathi Noe asked when TCI
would be able to get a copy of the ordinance and Krey said she would mail it to her the next day.
City of Cupertino: Krey explained to the commissioners that the Legal Services budget part
of the Telecommunications Commission budget was actually the city's budget for legal services for
telecommunications, which could include anything at all that the city manager wants the attorney to
look at. It is a budget over which the commission has no control. The only line items that the
commission has any control over are materials and supplies, membership dues, access grants and
conference and meetings. Krey told the members that once the Finance Department gave her monthly
printouts of the budget, she would include them in the packet.
The agreement between De Anza College and the city has still not been signed.
Krey told the commissioners about an upcoming telecommunications workshop which will be
held on Nov. 7 in Palo Alto. The workshop is sponsored by California Association of Public
Information Officials (CAPIO). She distributed copies of the brochure describing the workshop and
asked that any members who wanted to attend the workshop let her know as soon as possible.
Krey said she talked with Harvey Barnett of the Cupertino Union School District and he has
sent out applications for the grant money that the commission gave to the district. Applications are due
back to him in mid-October. He will then make copies of all the applications he receives from the
different teachers and send them to his committee, which includes Tsui, for evaluation and return to
him. He will make the final decision on who will receive the grant monies. He is expecting to get all
the applications to everyone by the end of October.
- Paul Rodwick has resigned from the commission due to travel for his job. Krey said the
recruitment of a new member will take place in December when the other commissions will also be
recruiting new members.
De ~,n~.a College: There was no report due to the absence of Ron Fish.
TCI: Noe said TCI has a new regional general manager, located in San Jose, and his laanle is
Carl Badger. He has 30 years of cable experience. She said the region now has 450,000 customers,
which is as big as some TCI divisions. The general manager in San Jose is Dave Walton. She would
like to bring him to a future meeting to introduce him to the commissioners. The South Bay office is in
Santa Clara and has nine franchises. The general manager position is in the process of being filled. In
Santa Cruz and Monterey there are general manager positions as well. She will provide an
organizational chart as soon as it becomes available.
SB 610 was just passed by the state legislature. This bill addresses late fees and how soon late
fees can be collected. Noe said TCI will not be imposing its administrative fee as soon as has been
done in the past. The billing system will require some major massaging. Krey said the bill states that
late fees cannot be imposed before 35 days after the last date of the service period. The bill also set the
fee of $4.75 as a reasonable amount.
Noe also said she will have someone from TCI at the next meeting to discuss technical issues.
AD JO NMENT
Tsul made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:25 p.m.; Mannion seconded and the motion
passed unanimously. The next-regular meeting is Nov. 6, 1996.
City Clerk ~/~ Chanson