Minneapolis Telecommunications Network
Board of Directors Meeting
Thursday, July 13, 2006

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

Child called the meeting to order at 5:39 p.m.

I. Opening Business

A. Comments from public, staff and board – Beth Peloff showed the beginning of "Access to Art," MTN.s new staff-produced art magazine show. Hallanger announced MTN's involvement in the State Fair. Hallanger asked board members to sign up for a shift at the booth.

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

C. Approval of Minutes from the June meeting. MSP Higinbotham, Hedden.


II. Reports

A. City of Minneapolis – C. John Harrison presented
City Cable is producing new programs, including one called "On the Scene," and another called, "How Government Works." They have received awards for their show "MPD Cops" and "Access Minneapolis."

B. Minneapolis Public Schools – Edie French presented
Edie French introduced herself. She works for Location Images, a company she owns, and does media services work for the schools. Two years ago she answered an RFP from the Public Schools, and was awarded the contract to do video services for them. Kathy Burns is still the Schools' ex-officio, but Coleen Kosloski asked French to attend because the board had questions about how the contracted was awarded to her. Huber said that the question she had was why the schools did not inform MTN about the RFP. French said she is the middle of a two year contract.

C. Time Warner Report – Lance Leupold presented
The subscriber count is 77,904. Time Warner will videotape the Torchlight Parade next week and will work with MTN to get the parade on the channels. Leupold said that there is still no official date for the transfer to Comcast but will most likely the transfer will be at the end of the month.

D. Executive Director's Report – Colby presented
Colby reported on the MTN Annual Members Meeting. Council Member Johnson and the Mayor asked Colby to investigate Community Standards, and this was a topic of much discussion at the meeting. Colby investigated community standards at the national ACM Conference and is working on a report that she will send to the board.
Colby, Hallanger, Griffin-Cassidy and Cain attended the ACM conference. Colby and Vose met with the Mayor. The Mayor said that he felt MTN was publicly funded and he felt responsible for the speech on MTN. She told him that the show she received the most complaint calls about was his show about the smoking ban, which people felt was a campaign commercial. He wanted Colby to report back to him about community standards. At the Members Meeting, other Council Members said that if Colby was to give a report to the Mayor, they needed to see that report too.
At the August 10th meeting, Tom Borrup will be present to start the MTN strategic planning process.
Huber asked about MTN and the city budget process. Harrison said that his department has not had its budget meeting yet. Huber asked him to check on the amount of funds MTN has in the mayor?s budget for next year.
The Civil Rights Commission is continuing on their study of the case of Samuels vs. MTN. Colby sent the Commission a letter asking for a progress report because they have not communicated to her. The Civil Rights Commission will most likely call Grievance Committee members for questioning.
Performance Measures for MTN – Colby handed out a new draft of these, which the city requested. They are based on the Finance Committee and PR Committee plans. Colby said that her meeting with the Mayor suggested to her that she would have to alter these measures, so she did not have them prepared for the Members' Meeting. Board members were suggested to read the document and give their comments to her.

E. Treasurer's Report – Huber presented
Report was passed around. Colby said that MTN has decided to purchase a new phone system. MTN has purchased a video server for playback. Huber said the budget is on-line or above for nearly all items. Motion to approve Treasurer's Report. MSP Rainville, Hedden.
Motion: Huber and Finance Committee will research an MTN credit card and credit limit and proceed to secure the card. MSP Rainville, Huber.

Next board meeting August 10
III. Adjourn
Meeting adjourned at 6:29 p.m. MSP Rainville, Huber.