HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-CABLE-2004-05-20Access Oversight Committee
May 20, 2004 - Minutes
Present: Wayles Brown, Will Burbank, Dan Cogan, Ellen Morris - Knower, Wies Van Leuken;
PEGASYS director, Lauren Stefanelli.
Called to order 4:40 pm at PEGASYS studio, 519 West State Street, Ithaca.
Ellen Morris - Knower designated as notetaker.
1. Agenda amended to include tour of studio, an update on 2003 City of Ithaca/Time Warner
capital fund, and discussion of hours of operation.
Everyone reported having been sworn in.
2. Amendments to minutes: spelling changes; moved to be approved by Burbank, seconded by
Morris - Knower, approved by voice vote unanimously. Revised copy will be circulated and
requested to be posted to appropriate website.
3. Public comment: none.
Future agenda item: regular meeting time and public notice. Van Leuken will make public
announcement for June meeting.
4. Update on 2003 city of Ithaca/Time Warner Capital Fund: Cogan reported the research into
what had been agreed and discussed during the franchise agreement negotiations, that funds
would be kept separate and used for city purposes. He will begin the discussions of what should
be done with funds; he hopes to have all conversations w /in two months.
Possible parties to discussion: Patricia Dunn, Pat Vaughan, Duane Twardokus, Steve Thayer.
Van Leuken requested copy of old franchise agreement; Stefanelli commented that there was
only one section pertinent to use of funds. Reference to section XIV Access Channels and
Services, p. 15 -19.
Questions: what is the legal use of those funds? Has there been an accumulation of funds? Who
can access and decide uses of those funds? Does AOC have purview?
What were suggested and /or intended uses of funds during negotiations?
5. Fees from Users from non - participating municipalities.
Roundtable discussion of possibilities and concerns with fees.
Important to distinguish between types of uses, producing versus being trained, and types of
users.
Cogan proposes: discuss amendment to Franchise language (section 14 re: fees ) with Time
Warner (Stefanelli will discuss with Tom Doheny) and City attorney (Cogan will discuss with
Patricia Dunn), as well as to ask negotiating parties what the intent of language of fees was.
Return to discussion at next meeting.
6. Review of Grant requests:
Progress report on Boynton Middle school application for TV studio. Stefanelli and Morris-
Knower met with Boynton staff 5/17 &18.
Discussions resulted in offer of recycled NewsCenter 10 equipment, (lighting grid, curtain tracks
and curtains, microphone tracks, platform and monitors) as well as some PEGASYS equipment
(mixers, switchers, character generator), that could be given on long term loan. Resulting
application would require some purchases, up to $1500, for cables, microphones and cameras.
Stefanelli will ask J. Spence about (3) hi8 cameras lent in Fall, 03, intended for Boynton.
Discussion of timeline of process for grant review:
Franchise agreement states (p. 22, section 15.12), Time Warner needs AOC approval of capital
spending plan for following year PEGASYS projects by June 30th. Specifically, how much
PEG /access capital will be spent over the next two years, with dates of when it will be spent out
of ten -year $200K budget. AOC should make grant review process of input match the
dates /needs of capital spending plan, ie. input before deadlines for requests and spending.
Budget for 2004: $20,000.
Need to decide on 2005 budget projection, and timeline.
Needs of other schools, particularly application from ACS/Karl Madeo, discussed, in light of
possible available funds. No decision made until process for grant review set in place. No
decision made on whether to notify schools of $1500 available, or discuss with ACS and IHS
programs individually.
Future agenda item: Invite schools to share what they are doing, and their timeline.
7. Hours of Operation. Van Leuken handed out notification of studio closure (May 29 -31 and
June 12 -27). Discussion of issue of closing studio due to lack of funds. Request to Stefanelli
made to regularly report PEGASYS calendar and other activities to AOC.
Future agenda item: Discuss responsibility of AOC in management of studio, particularly with
regard to employment of Stefanelli, and working with volunteers to cover vacation and other
breaks.
8. Tour of Studio postponed until June meeting.
Next meeting: Tuesday, June 29, 2004, 4:30 pm at PEGASYS studio.
Meeting adjourned 6:10 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Ellen Morris - Knower
Access Oversight Committee Minutes 4129104
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