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TC 09-07-88Cable Television Advisory Committee Regular Meeting September 7, 1988 Cupertino City Hall --Conference Room MINUTES CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 7:00p.m. by Leonard Batchelor, Chairman. ROLL CALL Committee members present: Len Batchelor, Jane Chiavacci, Dorothy Schmid, Michelle Mann, William Fletcher Staff present: Donna Krey, Community Relations Officer Carol Frausto, Community Relations Aide Elliott Margolies, Director, Channel 30 Guest present: Joe Wilcox, General Manager, United Cable ORAL COMMUNICATIONS Batchelor distributed a Mountain View ED job description. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS Committee members discussed a letter received regarding a complaint about United Cable's billing from subscriber Kathy Alban. Committee members agreed they have no control over United Cable billing. R_,JORT FROM JOE WILCOX, UNITED CABLE Wilcox reported August as "a slow month" with a few new subscribers and the August complaint summary did not reflect the headend change over. Channel 13 the Classic Movie Channel (CMC) will not be back on the air after the headend change. The only way for United to get CMC is from Gillcable off the Bay Area Interconnect. United gets ESPN, MTV and USA from the BAI, independently they can pick up all of these channels except CMC. United cannot get a contract with BAI for CMC without picking up the rest of the channels. Turner Network Television (TNT) will be launching in October. Channel 32 will not be on the United system anymore; it has lost its FCC operator's license and it will not be renewed. The license may be transfered to a minority interest station. Wilcox left at 7:35 p.m. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF AUGUST 3, 1988 MEETING Mann moved to approve the minutes as written; Fletcher seconded and the motion carried unanimously. STAFF REPORT Krey reported on a meeting with Gillcable representatives Ben Reichmuth and attorney Dick Harmon, regarding the renewal proposal, which is supposed to be ready by the end of September. Discussion included giving Ch.53 and 30 air time on Gillcable's community access channel 2B along with CNN. A recommendation was made to hold a public hearing by the CTVAC in place of the November regular meeting. Gillcable agreed to send out notice of the public hearing. Committee members agreed that viewers and r. -viewers need to be reached and surveyed. October agenda will include marketing strategies and voting to hold a public hearing in November. Cable Television Advisory Committee September 7, 1988 A^^.ESS COORDINATOR'S REPORT Margolies recommended a few purchases for Channel 30 including a digital effects machine and a wireless mic. He also said Edit room C is booked solid so he recommended edit and playback equipment be purchased for Edit room A. Margolies said several pieces of equipment have been recommended for replacement by United Cable or are being repaired. Fletcher made a motion that the committee draft a letter to United Cable outlining the equipment deficiencies at Channel 30. Also, citing the obligation of United to maintain the equipment per their agreement and that the committee would like to see some positive action. A letter will be sent to Wilcox. Mann seconded the motion. The motion was amended to include a separate letter to the City Council with informational copies to United. Fletcher seconded the amendment. The amended motion passed unanimously. Margolies reported on open studio trainings for the fall and said 32 groups are signed on to produce programming for the fall. The Deep Dish Access Satellite Steering committe requested Margolies attend a meeting in October in New York. DISCUSSION OF BUDGET ITEM: CONFERENCE AND MEETING EXPENSES Batchelor reported on a letter to and a discussion with City Manager Quinlan about transfering funds to cover conference and meeting expenses. These include a Santa Barbara conference, Deep Dish, one day conference, and a Newark regional access dinner. The committee estimates: Deep Dish $300, Santa Barbara $1,200, one day conference $300, Regional Access Festival $200 for a total of $2,000. Margolies has a meeting with Finance Director Snyder scheduled for Sept. 8. Krey and Margolies will discuss t"'s line item with Snyder. Mann made a motion to allocate $300 from the bujget where Krey and Snyder decide for Margolies to attend Deep Dish. Schmid seconded and the motion passed unanimously. DISCUSSION OF EDITING AND PLAYBACK EQUIPMENT PURCHASES Mann made a motion to allocate an amount not to exceed $3,000 for the purchase of editing and playback equipment. Fletcher seconded and the motion passed unanimously. DISCUSSION OF WIRELESS MIC Fletcher made a motion to allocate an amount not to exceed $300 for the purchase of a wireless mic. Chiavacci seconded and the motion passed unanimously. Margolies will also check on security for this new piece of equipment. DISCUSSION OF DVE SPECIAL EFFECTS Mann made a motion to allocate an amount not to exceed $4,000 for the purchase of a DVE special effects machine. Chiavacci seconded and the motion passed unanimously. DISCUSSION OF DEPOSIT TO DE ANZA OF FUNDS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS Margolies asked the committee to allow complete transfer of $6,500 funds for administrative assistants to a DeAnza account to avoid the delay in payments to the assistants, instead of transfering the amount in increments. Batchelor made a motion to release the $6,500 funds from the professional services line item budget based on the approval and z ommendation of Margolies and Snyder. Fletcher seconded and the motion passed unanimously. Cable Television Advisory Committee September 7, 1988 L CUSSION OF USING KATHLEEN SCHULER AS FACILITATOR FOR PLANNING SESSION WORKSHOP TO DEVELOP A WORK PLAN Mann reported that Schuler will be willing to help the committee with goal setting after she returns from vacation on October 10 if she is not committed to a job at that time. She charges $50 per hour. Batchelor, Fletcher and Chiavacci included written input on goals for the committee. Committee members agree they want to be involved with outreach for new groups to use the facilities. Committee members will come up with the issues they each see as important and then come up with goals for the committee. Mann will give the goal ideas to Schuler and estimate a 4 hour session X $50 = $200. The goals will be included in the October agenda packet. DISCUSSION OF GOALS Discussed above DISCUSSION OF COMMISSION RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY COUNCIL ORD. # 1465. Committee members discussed the limits of the term of office for commissioners adopted by the City Council. Fletcher brought up the discussion of non-profit status and the committee agreed to discuss the advantages and disadvantages at the next meeting. ADJOURNMENT Mann made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 9:30 p.m., Schmid s-jonded and the motion passed unanimously.