TC 10-10-88Cable Television Advisory Committee
Regular Meeting
October 10, 1988
Cupertino City Hall --Conference Room
MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 7:04p.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
Guests present: Leslie Lopez ,Deputy City Attorney
Donald Yeager
Donna Yeager
Jeanne Yeager
Joe Camicia, Manager of Government Affairs, KQEC
DISCUSSION OF MARKETING STRATEGIES RELATING TO GILL SUBSCRIBERS
Deputy City Attorney Leslie Lopez updated the committee on the
Gillcable renewal process. The formal written proposal had not been
-eived, but she said the committee could go ahead with a public hearing
on the renewal issue. According to Lopez, the attorney from Gillcable
said the company check with United about tapping into their system to get
Channel 53 and 30 for Cupertino residents in the Gill area. Margolies
said this is possible and is currently being done with Channel 29. The
city has verbally requested that Gill run all three Cupertino channels and
mention was made of a local Gill office.
The committee agreed the proposal should include raising the franchise
fee from 3% to 5% and customer service standards should be analyzed.
Batchelor informed the committee that Gillcable discontinued their program
guide and pushed through a rate increase. The committee requested
documentation be made of technical quality, customer service, and overall
subscriber service for the renewal process. Fletcher made a motion that a
letter be sent to Gillcable requesting a formal written proposal no later
than October 25 for inclusion and discussion at the November 2 meeting.
Chiavacci seconded and the motion passed unanimously. The public hearing
for November is postponed to another meeting. Batchelor asked Attorney
Lopez to draw up some legal views on the nonprofit status issue for the
next meeting.
WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
The Yeager family, who produces a program, "On the Move," on Channel
30, attended the meeting with a grant application for the committee's
review. Richard Martinez the exec -producer, a Cupertino resident, is
named as the applicant. The Yeager/Martinez grant application was placed
the November agenda for approval.
The committee also discussed a letter written by Batchelor that will
be sent to Joe Wilcox. Reference to the cart machine will be taken out of
the letter.
Cable Television Advisory Committee
October 5, 1988
.__,PROVAL OF MINUTES OF MEETING HELD SEPTEMBER 7, 1988
Mann made a motion to approve the minutes as written. Fletcher
seconded and the motion passed unanimously.
STAFF REPORT
Krey said the mayor asked for some input on a letter received from
KQEC/KQED. Krey spoke to the FCC about KQEC. They informed her that the
review board had recommended the license be pulled and that the station's
appeal would be heard after Jan. 1, 1989.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Joe Camicia from KQEC informed the committee that KQEC is not off the
air. He asked that the committee help inform the community that Channel
32 is on the air. Krey said she would present both sides of the issue in
the Cupertino Scene.
REPORT FROM JOE WILCOX, UNITED CABLE
Report will be given in November.
ACCESS COORDINATOR'S REPORT
Margolies reported that the reel to reel and cart machine are both
back from repair. He is optimistic that Wilcox will bring back some
information regarding equipment from his trip to Colorado. He said the
P.T.A is getting involved with access. A practice edit tape is available
for producers. He reported on the Deep Dish meetings he attended in New
rk. He will turn his receipts in to Krey for reimbursement.
DISCUSSION OF CONTRIBUTION TOWARD WESTERN REGIONAL FALL CONFERENCE
Krey said $2,000 was moved from grants to conference and meeting
expenses. There is $3,000 left in the grants budget. Margolies asked for
a donation of $50 to $100 to support the western regional conference.
Chiavacci made a motion to support the regional conference with a $100
donation. Fletcher seconded. Mann said she would vote no on the motion.
Mann asked for discussion saying she would support a local conference but
would not like to donate to the regional conference. Fletcher withdrew
his second and Chiavacci withdrew her motion. The committee will
encourage producers to request grants.
MAYOR'S LUNCH AND CIVIC SERVICE NOMINATIONS
Krey encouraged nominations for Civic Service Awards based on
volunteer work in the community. Mann suggested Margolies be nominated.
Chiavacci suggested Batchelor be nominated. Chiavacci will attend the
mayor's luncheon and selection committee meeting.
DISCUSSION OF VOTE TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARING IN NOVEMBER
No public hearing will be held in November.
DISCUSSION OF GOALS
Batchelor took the committee's individual goals that were submitted
and put them together into organized categories. Fletcher said having a
fi-cilitator would be a good idea. Mann will submit the committee goals to
. chleen Schuler and give a report to the committee at the November
meeting. The committee will also prioritize their goals for the next
meeting. Discussion of goals will be on the November agenda.
Cable Television Advisory Committee
October 5, 1988
SCUSSION OF THE ADVANTAGES/DISADVANTAGES OF NON-PROFIT STATUS
Batchelor said he is not convinced that "non-profit fits into our
present set up." Attorney Lopez will give the legal implications of
non-profit status. The committee agreed to keep this on the back burner
until franchise with United is about to expire and continue to explore
alternative forms of organization. The committee agreed there are no
problems with the way the current structure works. Mann will submit
material for the next agenda packet to help committee get a better
understanding of non-profit status.
BUDGET REVIEW
Batchelor said he talked with Finance Director Snyder and was informed
that money was carried over from last year's United franchise fee which
added about 25,000+ to the budget. They talked about setting up a
reserve/contingency fund. Batchelor put $7,500 in the reserve/contingency
line item on the rough draft budget. He handed out a rough draft budget
for the committee to review. Batchelor said Snyder is trying to get an
additional $4,000 from United.
ADJOURNMENT
Chiavacci made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 9:35 p.m. Schmid
seconded and the motion passed unanimously.