HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-CABLE-2010-09-14Cable Access Oversight Committee minutes Sept. 14, 2010 (as approved Oct. 19, 2010)
The Cable Access Oversight Committee (AOC) met at 4:40 pm on Tuesday, Sept. 14,
2010, in the PEGASYS studio, 612 W. Green St., Ithaca, NY.
Present: AOC members Wayles Browne, Mike Brutvan, chair Rich DePaolo, Wies van
Leuken; studio manager Lauren Stefanelli.
0) Notes by W. Browne as AOC secretary.
1) Rich DePaolo called the meeting to order.
2) The minutes of the July 13, 2010 meeting were approved with small changes.
3) Comments from members of the public: none.
4) Member Reports.
- Collection of subscriber fees ( "PEG fees "): Chair's report. (a) There should be a
separate account on TWC's books for the 15¢ per month per subscriber PEG collections
and expenditures for equipment. At present TWC mingles PEG funds into a larger
accounts and does not track PEG expenditures. (b) It appears that TWC has not been
deducting the V2% in PEG staff fees from what it pays the three municipalities; that is,
TWC has been paying the full franchise fee to Cayuga Heights, the Town of Ithaca, and
perhaps the City of Ithaca without deducting anything. Rich DePaolo will e -mail Svante
Myrick to check on what the City has been paid. (c) There are discrepancies in past
reports - negative amounts for certain months due to TWC's estimation process.
W. van Leuken: suggests that Rich speak to TWC manager Thomas Doherty.
- Quarterly franchise fee report from City, Town and Village
- Internet access for producers to use: AOC (specifically Rich and Mike Brutvan) will,
for now, continue working on equipment strategies and postpone talking to TWC or T.
Doheny.
- Policy on encore programs: M. Brutvan will reformulate W. van Leuken's proposed
text.
- Use of staff time for production and transmission services: the AOC continued the
discussion about staff time spent for production services (chargeable to PEG funds) vs.
staff time spent for transmission services (to be borne by TWC as in all cable services,
under New York State franchise standards). See:
NYCRR 16 Rules and Regulations of the Public Service Commission
"§ 895.4 Minimum standards for public, educational and governmental (PEG) access
(a) Definitions...
(6) The term access cablecast day means a day or part thereof during which public, educational or
governmental access facilities are available for PEG use.
(c) Administration and use. The use of the channel capacity for PEG access shall be administered as
follows:
2
(6) Channel time for PEG access programming shall be without charge to the user.
(7) The designation of PEG access facilities shall include the provision by the cable television franchisee of
the technical ability to play back prerecorded programming and to transmit programming information
consistent with the designated uses of PEG access channels.
t1 Source: website
http: / /www3.dps. state. ny. us /N /nycrrl6.nsf/Parts /8669OA6EE I IF04FC8525702EO062AB
04 ?OpenDocument
5) Studio Manager's report (presented orally). Almost all the equipment we've been
waiting for will show up tomorrow [Sept. 15], but we couldn't get the previous types of
tripods.
Once again there was a power outage during the time when Mike Cederstrom was
replacing L. Stefanelli. The power was down for 2 days, then Mike C. restarted NEXUS.
Van Leuken: during cable service outages, the customer service phone number has not
been helpful.
Stefanelli: In fact, the person who answers the phone can take messages for the 24 -hour
on -call engineer, who can indeed come to the PEG studio in serious cases if necessary
(e.g., if several people phone with the same complaint). One should phone 272 -3456 and
ask for "repair."
There's been no further progress in handing the old City Hall switcher over to a future
user. Would -be users should try it out.
6) Resolution: The AOC regrets the passing of long -time producer Robin Palmer. Moved
by Browne, seconded by Brutvan. Adopted by acclamation.
7) Old business: setting up a meeting to discuss Ithaca College's uses of the education
access channel (16). L. Stefanelli: Peter Johanns is still at IC but is not Manager of
Television Operations for ICTV (Ithaca College Television) any more. However there are
2 or 3 people at IC who we could meet with; I will contact them.
8) Next meeting: Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2010, 4:30. Place: PEGASYS studio.
9) Meeting adjourned 6:15.
Contact information for AOC members:
Svante Myrick, Common Council liaison <smyrick @cityofithaca.org>
Wayles Browne, secretary <ewb2 @,cornell.edu>
Rich DePaolo, chair <rd @richdepaolo.com>
Wies van Leuken <pmv4@corne1l.edu> and <WIESVL@cityofithaca.org>
Michael Brutvan, vicechair <noidea @lightlink.com >, <mbrutvan @mac.com>
Web site for the PEGASYS studio, with program schedules: http: / /www.peizasysaccess.org/
studio location: 612 West Green Street, Ithaca, New York
mailing address: 519 West State Street, Ithaca, NY 14850
phone (607) 272 -7272
fax (607) 277 -5404
PEGASYS staff. studio manager Lauren Stefanelli lauren.stefanelligtwcable.com
MD /AOC /Capital Budget and PEG fee collection Summary
Capital Expenditures (from: Wies van Leuken Sept. 15, 2010)
A B C
0
E
4
F
9/6/10 Budget l
Actual Unused Balance PEG F
Year Budget Capital Expenditures (D -C) PEG Fee Collection
2004
$20,000.00
$19,372.15
$627.85
$22,768.04
2005
$14,814.73
$14,814.73
$0.00
$20,144.93
2006
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$19,616.00
2007
$20,468.80
$19,338.81
$1,129.99
$20,609.90
2008
$39,270.00
$11,749.14
$27,520.86
$25,724.78
2009
$19,800.00
$21,102.13
($1,302.13)
$14,805.59
2010
$19,800.00
$20,002.16
($202.16)
$0.00
2011
$28,500.00
$0.00
$28,500.00
$0.00
Total $162,653.53
$106,379.12
$56,274.41
$123,669.24
Total 2004 -2008 $94,553.53 $65,274.83 $29,278.70 $108,863.65
(= budget years that are fully expended and have correct Fee Collection data)