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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-CABLE-2004-04-29Minutes Meeting of the PEGASYS ACCESS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE (AOC) April 29, 2004 at 9 AM Conference Room, Town Hall, Town of Ithaca Present: Committee Members: Dan Cogan, Wayles Browne, Ellen Morris - Knower, Will Burbank, Wies van Leuken Time Warner Cable Staff: Thomas Doheny, Lauren Stefanelli Members of the Public: None 1 a. Call to Order Dan Cogan called the meeting to order at 9AM. Stefanelli distributed the following documents: - Final reports on Capital Expenditures for FY01 ($100,707.82), FY02 ($55,322.87) and FY03 ($2,024.28). - Information on the minimum amount of equipment required for a school to set up a studio - Program Schedules for Public, Educational and Government Access - Fee Structure for commercial users of PEGASYS - List of PEGASYS users - Capital request from Ithaca High School for the 2003/2004 School year 1 b. Note Taker The Committee designated Van Leuken as Minute Taker. 1c. Facilitator The Committee designated Cogan as the Facilitator. 1d. Agenda Cogan circulated an agenda. There were no additions from the floor. 2. Approval of Minutes Burbanks moved and Browne seconded a resolution to approve the minutes of the Meeting of March 30, 2004 as submitted. The Resolution passed unanimously. The Minute Taker will file copies of the minutes with the City Clerk. 3. Public Comments No reports. 4. Capital Budgeting Final decisions on the FY04 capital purchases will be made at the June meeting. Doheny is working with Time Warner's accountant and the City Controller on the final report on gross revenues for FY03. He explained that capital expenditures had been put on hold during while the franchise agreement was being negotiated. It was explained that in previous years the remaining balance for capital expenditures from one FY would be carried over to the next one as a beginning balance. Doheny felt that he could not disclose information as to the FY03 balances without the City's consent, because these are funds that belong to the City. Cogan will raise the issue with Mayor Peterson. He will also ask whether the Committee's mandate could be extended to include these funds. At Cogan's request Stefanelli gave an item -by -item explanation of the FY04 portion of the 10 -year Access Capital Plan that was submitted at the last meeting. Stefanelli explained that removable hard drives were a cost effective way to have a number of people use the digital editing system. It also allows people who have a home editing system to bring in their hard disk and use the set -up for transferring programs back to tape for play back. She further explained that her 10 -year capital budget proposal reflects the change in technology. Digital equipment is becoming more and more affordable. Because producers are switching to that format it makes sense to phase out the older equipment rather than replace it when it brakes down. The underused three quarter decks will be the first to be phased out. 5. Fees for users from non - participating municipalities This item was tabled until the next meeting. Access Oversight Committee Page 2 Minutes 4129104 6. Grant Requests from Schools Stefanelli submitted a list of a minimal amount of equipment required to get a school up and running to produce TV programs. Doheny explained that in years past it became important to Time Warner to have the schools in the Franchise area contribute programs to the Education Channel. Because transporting students to the Studio was a logistical nightmare, it seemed to make more sense to bring equipment to the schools and have the students work on production there. The schools all have an I -net connection to enable live programming. To that end Time Warner made contact with the schools and requested proposals for borrow long term equipment to set up facilities. Stefanelli stated that an Agreement was signed for each long -term loan. The requirements attached to receipt of equipment are flexible. However only the Dryden school failed to produce any programs at all with their equipment. Cogan proposed to set up guidelines for the receipt of long -term loan. One requirement would be that after a certain a certain period of time, the loan would result in programs on the Education Channel. Cogan asked that a notice be sent to the Dryden explaining that PEGASYS expected the loan to produce programming and if that was not happening, the equipment should be returned Van Leuken proposed that the Committee discuss the budget items required by the PEGASYS studio and then allocate the remaining balance to Educational uses and that perhaps some of the outstanding balance from FY03 could be used for Educational access? The request for long term loaned equipment from Morris - Knower on behalf of Boynton Middle School was discussed in detail. Doheny confirmed that Boynton does have an 1 -net connection and is set up to work with iMac equipment. Stefanelli stated that she needs more information from Morris - Knower. The committee was concerned about funding only one proposal without a general notification to all schools. It was agreed an exception would be made because this proposal was already in process during the franchise agreement negotiations. A resolution was moved by Morris - Knower and seconded by Burbank that set the conditions for the long -term loan to Boynton Middle School. Whereas, Boynton Middle School has requested a long term loan of video equipment in the amount of $7,155.00 to set up a studio at their School, and Whereas, Time Warner staff will review the availability of used equipment at the PEGASYS facilities to reduce the needs for new equipment, and Access Oversight Committee Page 3 Minutes 4129104 Whereas, Time Warner staff will also review the existing resources at Boynton Middle School to further reduce the needs for new equipment, and Whereas, Time Warner staff will work with Morris - Knower to revise the proposal, and Now, be it resolved that the Oversight Committee, authorizes the use of up to $3,000.00 from the FY04 budget to be used for long -term loan of equipment for educational uses, to Boynton Middle School, subject to an Agreement drafted by Time Warner Staff to be brought back to the Committee for final review. The Resolution passed unanimously. 7. Date of Next Meeting The next meeting will take place on May 20, 2004 from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM at the PEGASYS studio. 8. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 10:45 AM. Access Oversight Committee Page 4 Minutes 4129104