Minneapolis Telecommunications Network
Board of Directors Meeting
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Members Present: Joel Rainville, Barb Nei, Kevin Jenkins, Peter Larsen, Kevinn Tam,
Darren Smith, Andrew Hedden, Rashad Hasan
Board Members Absent: Ben Weeks
Ex-Officio Present: Lance Leupold
Others Present: Pam Colby, John Akre

Rainville called the Meeting to order at 5:35 pm

I. Opening Business
A. Comments from public, staff and board – Rainville announced that he did
not seek reappointment and that this would be his last meeting after seven
years of service on the MTN board. He invited members to keep in contact
with him.

B. Approval of January meeting agenda. With the addition: Adjourn to
Executive Session at close of meeting to review Colby. MSP Larson,
Smith.

C. Approval of minutes from the November and December meetings. MSP
Larson, Tam.

II. Reports
A. Treasurer’s Report – Colby presented.
2010 P& L handed out and discussed. MTN is ending the year with a small
surplus. There was a question on bank service charge fees over budget. Colby
would check with Loecke on that. Motion to accept Treasurer’s Report.
MSP Nei, Jenkins.

B. City of Minneapolis – Harrison was not present.
Colby said that Harrison was ill. MTN contract will go before Ways and
Means Committee on January 27. Jenny Hanson was recommended by Ways
and Means Committee and Smith was recommended by Mayor to the MTN
board. Approval by council is expected tomorrow.

C. Comcast – Leupold reported
Leupold congratulated Rainville on his service to MTN. Comcast partnered
with a Timberwolves player on a very successful coat drive for the Salvation
Army. Oprah has launched her own channel, which is on standard cable.

D. Executive Director’s Report – Colby reported.
Colby will save most of her report for her review in the Executive Session.
Smith asked about HD equipment. Akre commented that staff has developed
workflow and is using the equipment for production services jobs for the
present. Colby commented on the great demand for hard drive space in this
format.

III. New Business
A. 2011 Officers
Rainville asked for nominations for officers for 2011. Larson, Tam and
Smith volunteered to be officers this year. Rainville suggested a slate but
there was a discussion of board roles and responsibilities. Hassan asked
for official job descriptions for Executive positions. Rainville will no
longer be a board member, but if a new chair is not determined this
meeting, the Vice Chair would serve as acting chair. Motion: to postpone
election of officers until the February meeting. MSP Tam, Nei.
Discussion: Tam asked if existing officers wanted to remain in their
positions. Colby explained that usually a board member who will not be
an officer brings a slate to the meeting at which the officers are elected.
Hedden offered to coordinate the slate. Colby will send out job
descriptions. Board members were asked to let Hedden know positions of
interest. Hedden will present a slate for vote at the next meeting.

B. Proposal to create a minimal member level of $25 for City of
Minneapolis residents who want to play programming on MTN
Channels.
Minneapolis residents have been able to submit a program with no fee
since the beginning of MTN. There followed discussion about how this
may generate some revenue, but it is also a philosophical change. There
was a discussion about adopting a submission fee rather than a
membership fee. Leupold suggested a simple, straightforward proposal
along with an explanation of why MTN is making this change. Hasan
suggested thinking about looking for income from corporate contributors
to raise more funds through underwriting. Larson suggested this
discussion be part of a larger discussion about membership categories and
rates. Motion: to direct Colby to determine the number of submitters
who are not members, and what the best practices are in this area,
and to include this in a discussion at the next meeting about
membership categories and pricing. MSP Jenkins, Nei.

C. Proposal to change formula for accrual of vacation pay for part time
employees.
This was discussed at the previous meeting. Colby suggested that several
of staff have moved into part time status. These staff would like vacation
time to be accrued based on their hours of service. Colby explained that
there will be little financial impact and it is a good will item. Larson added
that Akre and Griffin-Cassidy spoke in favor of this at the last meeting.
Hasan suggested that the staff deserve this. This would be retroactive to
January 1st. Motion: to adopt the proposal to change the accrual of
vacation pay for part time employees. MSP Hasan, Smith.
There was discussion about how sick time accrual and vacation carry-over
policy apply to part time employees. Motion: that Loecke and Colby
present sick and vacation time policies and the board review them at
the February meeting. MSP Larson, Smith. Rainville suggested that
committees be established at the next meeting. An HR or Finance
Committee could be established to study MTN benefits packages as a
whole and make recommendations.

III. Adjourn
Meeting was adjourned to Executive Session at 7:00 pm. MSP Hasan, Larson
Next meeting, February 10, 2010