The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutMN-AOC-2019-04-02 1 City of Ithaca Cable Access Oversight Committee Meeting Minutes Tuesday, April 2, 2019 at 5 PM (as approved May 7, 2019) Meeting Room, PEGASYS Community Media Center 612 West Green Street, Ithaca, NY Present: Chair Rich DePaolo, Vice Chair Wies van Leuken, secretary Wayles Browne, Common Council Liaison Rob Gearhart; Access Studio Coordinator Lauren Stefanelli; member of the public Tom Stern. 01. Call to Order 5:05 by DePaolo. 02. Agenda Additions and/or Deletions: add 6e. Outreach. 03. Public Comments. Tom Stern asks AOC to approve his grandson (10 years old) as an assistant cameraman. DePaolo: Do you take the financial risk? Stefanelli: the adult who signs out a camera is always financially liable for it. The camera involved costs $3,500. Stern assures AOC that he can cover any damage. AOC consents to the grandson helping use the camera, but does not want this decision to set a precedent. 04. Approval of Minutes of the March 5, 2019 Meeting: moved by Gearhart, seconded by Van Leuken, approved unanimously with one correction. 05. Access Studio Coordinator Report (attached) a. Recommendations 2020 Budget. Stefanelli: We need to replace broken equipment, which could be paid for from the $5,000.00 contingency funds previously set aside for the 2019 budget. The 5 tripods are the same kind as before, since we haven't been able to find a good substitute. Other tripods are too light and won't provide the same safety for the camera. b. Equipment/Battery purchase: DePaolo is buying the necessary battery on line. c. Peggy Awards: see attached. The participation of Ithaca College was very heartening. Gearhart: Jeremy Menard (Manager of Television & Radio Operations, Roy H. Park School of Communications) states that IC gets a lot of credit for the fact that it cablecasts on the local cable. d. Hand-out for non-profits (explaining what PEG can do for them): Stefanelli will work on this. 06. Member Reports a. 2020 Budget. The AOC members agreed to replace broken equipment with the 2019 budget’s contingency funds and for the 2020 budget, to let remaining revenues accumulate to replace computers and current playback system in the near future minus a $10,000 contingency to purchase replacement equipment. Van Leuken moves and Browne seconds the following resolution for the use of the 2019 Budget’s Contingency: 2 Use of 2019 Budget’s Contingency WHEREAS, the Access Oversight Committee (AOC)’s 2019 Budget includes a $5,000.00 contingency to purchase equipment as needed for the functioning of Public, Educational and Governmental access operations (PEG) operations, and WHEREAS this budget was subsequently approved by the participating municipalities (City of Ithaca, Town of Ithaca, Village of Cayuga Heights), and WHEREAS, some of the PEG’s field accessories and video lights have become broken through heavy use and need to be replaced as follows: 5 Magnus VT-4000 Tripod with fluid head $160 each $ 800.00 1 Magnus DWF-2 Tripod Dolly [for VT-4000] $ 42.00 10 Beringer HPM-1000 Closed Ear Headphones $13 each $ 130.00 6 EKB Lamps [for Lowell Field Lights] $10 each $ 60.00 10 BTL Lamps [for studio Fresnel Lights] $20 each $ 200.00 2 Lowell Tota-brella [field light reflectors] $25 each $ 50.00 Total $1,282.00 NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the AOC approves the use of the 2019 Budget Contingency for the purchase of replacement equipment as described in this Resolution. Approved Unanimously. Van Leuken moves, Browne seconds the following resolution for the 2020 budget: Access Oversight Committee (AOC)’s Recommendations for 2020 Budget WHEREAS, Section 15.12 of the Franchise Agreement of January 2003 between the City of Ithaca and the franchisee Time Warner Entertainment-Advance/Newhouse Partnership (TWC), subsequently assigned to Charter Communications, Inc. (d/b/a Spectrum Networks) after Charter's 2016 acquisition of TWC, requires the participating municipalities (City of Ithaca, Town of Ithaca, Village of Cayuga Heights) to provide the franchisee with an annual written budget for Public, Educational and Governmental access operations (PEG) by June 30 of each calendar year, and WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca's Ordinance #2003-17, Par 18-4-G, requires the Access Oversight Committee (AOC) to provide the Participating Municipalities with a recommended annual budget by May 31 of each calendar year, and WHEREAS, in 2017 it was resolved not to use the 2018 Budget funds but have them become part of the 2019 Budget, and 3 WHEREAS, in 2018 it was resolved not to use the 2019 Budget funds but have them become part of the 2020 Budget except for a contingency of $5,000.00, and WHEREAS, the AOC has reviewed PEG’s current equipment and anticipates that only a limited amount of new or replacement equipment will be needed, and WHEREAS, the AOC anticipates the replacement of computers and the current playback system in the next few years, and WHEREAS, such purchases would exceed the available funds of one budget year, NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the AOC recommends earmarking up to $10,000.00 as contingency to purchase equipment as needed for the functioning of PEG operations, and letting the remaining 2018, 2019 and 2020 Budget funds accumulate and become part of the 2021 Budget, and NOW, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the AOC forwards its recommendations for approval by the Common Council of the City of Ithaca, the Town of Ithaca Board and the Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees, so that they may meet their obligation to provide Spectrum TV with an annual written budget for Public, Educational and Governmental access operations. Approved Unanimously b. Report Subscriber Fees ($.15/Mo "PEG" Fee). Van Leuken confirms that the collected subscriber fees in the amount of $10,884.20 for 2018 are correct. c. AOC Members’ Terms and new Appointments. Gearhart will look and see if Van Leuken's reappointment has been completed. We are still seeking a member from the City of Ithaca. d. Access Rules. Van Leuken will meet with Stefanelli to review existing forms and rules. e. Outreach. Stefanelli will update last year's "Activity Report." The Training page on the website also needs updating. 07. Old Business a. Franchise Agreement. DePaolo: no news. I have suggested to city attorney Ari Lavine that the Franchise Negotiation Committee should meet and decide on next steps. 08. New Business. DePaolo: A Charter press release dated Feb. 20 indicates Charter plans to offer TV channels over the Internet to its Internet subscribers (who need not be cable-TV subscribers). Does this even count as TV? 09. Next meeting: Tuesday, May 7, 5:00. 10. Adjournment 6:20. ================ Contact information for AOC members: 4 City of Ithaca: Wayles Browne, secretary <ewb2@cornell.edu>. City of Ithaca: Rob Gearhart, Common Council liaison 2019- <rgearhart@cityofithaca.org>. City of Ithaca: member [vacancy] Town of Ithaca: Rich DePaolo, chair <rd@richdepaolo.com>, <RDePaolo@town.ithaca.ny.us>. Village of Cayuga Heights: Wies van Leuken, vice chair <pmv4@cornell.edu>. Web site for the PEGASYS Community Media Center studio, with program schedules: http://pegasys.webstarts.com/index.html 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.Stefanelli@charter.com> 5 April 2019 Access Studio Coordinator Report  PEGASYS Awards The PEGASYS Awards was held on March 22. The awards ceremony was very well attended and was cablecast live on channel 13. The awards show was rerun and all the winners are being shown in special timeslots on channel 13. Funding: The $50 allowance from the PEG fund was used for certificates and refreshments. $220 [approx.] was contributed very generously by Ithaca College for the trophies. IC and various producers brought additional refreshments. Several volunteers served as crew. Extra entry fees paid for a meal for the 3 volunteer judges. 6 PEGASYS Equipment Budget Draft: April 2, 2019 Project: Replace PEGASYS Accessories Justification: Some of our field accessories have become broken through use. Some video lights need replacement lamps. 5 Magnus VT-4000 Tripod with fluid head $160 each $800.00 1 Magnus DWF-2 Tripod Dolly [for VT-4000] $42.00 10 Beringer HPM-1000 Closed Ear Headphones $13 each $130.00 6 EKB Lamps [for Lowell Field Lights] $10 each $60.00 10 BTL Lamps [for studio Fresnel Lights] $20 each $200.00 2 Lowell Tota-brella [field light reflectors] $25 each $50.00 Total $1,282.00