Minneapolis Telecommunications Network
Board of Directors Meeting
Thursday, April 12, 2007

Board Members Present: Marido Huber, Andrew Hedden, Joan Higinbotham, Robert Vose, Tom Cassidy, Floyd Child
Board Members Absent: Joel Rainville, Kevin Jenkins, Tamir Nolley
Ex-Officio Present: Lance Leupold, Edie French, John Harrison
Others Present: Pamela Colby, John Akre, Jim Derks, Tom Borrup

Huber called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.

I. Opening Business

A. Comments from public, staff and board – no comments

B. Approval of the agenda. Approve Agenda: MSP Child, Hedden.

C. Approval of Minutes from the March board meeting. MSP Higinbotham, Vose.


II. Reports

A. Comcast Report – Lance Leupold presented
Comcast is updating the signal on analog channels for their digital customers, so these channels will all have digital signals when they leave the Comcast head-end. On May 7 or 8 they will be converting the MTN, city and school channels. This may result in brief outages. The work will be done by 5 p.m. that day. Any announcement of these possible outages would be the responsibility of MTN. Colby said that MTN could put up a notice once we have more specific information. This work should result in an improvement of signal for digital customers.
Comcast is taking a lead on re-forming a local chapter of the National Association for Ethnic Diversity in Communications. They will also send representatives to the Urban League annual dinner.

B. City of Minneapolis – C. John Harrison presented
There are 80,886 total residential cable customers in Minneapolis. Vose said that there is a threshold where the PEG fee changes if a certain number of customers take service. He believes that this is a percentage of the customers that could take cable service. Harrison said that he has access to that second number. The threshold percentage is 45%. Now we are just under 41 %, Harrison said.

C. Planning Process – Tom Borrup presented
The MTN strategic planning process is now in motion. Borrup would like to form, by September, a study group to carry out this process. Borrup handed out a tentative schedule. He asked for board input on the name "MTN Study Group Commission." There were no objections to the name. The group would be composed of around 10 people representing a wide variety of constituencies. They would commit to five formal meetings. The Board would have final review authority on the work of the commission. The group would meet in the fall and present their recommendations in the winter of 2008. Borrup said that he would provide the staff support for the process, but that the Board and ED would approve the group and their recommendations. Vose suggested that city representation would be vital. Borrup said that a goal of the process is to get direct representation from the city. Huber suggested that the size of the commission might be increased because some members may be unable to attend all the meetings. Borrup suggested that the Council President would appoint City Council representation. Borrup suggested that the board have representation on the commission. The board should also be given a briefing after each session. Borrup asked the board for other suggestions on the composition of the commission. He would like this information by the middle of May. Colby suggested that PR Committee work to publicize meetings to make sure to involve a broader community. French suggested the presence of an educator on the commission.

D. Minneapolis Public Schools – Edie French reported
French said that they are creating programs. Leupold mentioned that Annette Gagliardy, with ECFC, is one of four educators nominated for Cable's Leaders in Learning Award through Cable in the Classrooms.

E. Executive Director's Report – Colby presented
The playback server has been working well although there have been some failures in the encoding of live programs. Colby said that on the web site there is more information on specific shows.
MTN will get two more phone lines for live shows, as well as some new technology to improve the sound of the phone on live call-in shows.
Fieldwork for the audit was completed last week. No problems have been found.
MTN conducted a youth Media Camp last week with the Get Ready program.
Colby will be at the NAMAC Board Meeting April 26-28.
The MSP Home Tour Preview show was completed. Colby suggested board members view it.

F. Treasurer's Report – Hedden presented
P & L report handed out for February. Motion to receive report MSP Child, Higinbotham.

Huber asked Colby about board involvement in this summer's Alliance for Community Media Conference. Colby said that organization would be able to pay for registration for members who would like to attend conference events. She would provide a schedule.

Huber asked about raising the MTN membership fee. There was discussion about how MTN's fees compare to those of other access centers. Huber asked for a staff recommendation by next meeting. Huber suggested that a program be put in place to ask for donations.

Next board meeting May 10
III. Adjourn
Meeting adjourned at 6:36 p.m. MSP Child, Hedden.