Minneapolis Telecommunications Network
Board of Directors Meeting
Thursday, November 8, 2007


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


Huber called the meeting to order at 5:31 p.m.

I. Opening Business

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

B. Approval of the agenda. Vose requested that the Executive Director's Report and the 2008 Budget Report be moved to the top of the meeting. Huber requested that three agenda items, "Board Participation," "Nominating Committee," and "Pam Colby's annual review" all be added to the agenda. MSP Child, Jenkins.

C. Approval of Minutes from the October board meeting. MSP Vose, Child.

II. Reports

A. Executive Director's Report – Pam Colby presented.
Huber and Colby attended the Ways and Means meeting. They told council members that MTN had a performance agreement from the city for the full budget amount. The council members who attended all spoke in favor of restoring MTN's funding. Huber also spoke with Paul Ostrow, asking for MTN's equipment money to be restored, since the franchise fee is being increased. Huber commended the many people who have been lobbying for MTN in the background.
Long range planning: The televised meeting was a great success. Lots of people spoke. There was a diverse showing of producers and other concerned parties.
On Tuesday, November 6, MTN received an accommodation from Hennepin County for 20 years of service.
Colby has been subpoenaed by both sides in the "Al Flowers vs. Council Members Samuels and Ostrow" trial. The trial has been postponed until November 27.
Video Voices. The Humphrey Forum has backed out of the Video Voices Program since Steve Sandell left.
Staff has been meeting and working on projects, but the potential budget cut really derailed our momentum.

B. 2008 Budget: Pam Colby presented.
Colby will present the 2008 budget at the next meeting. It should be about the same as the last performance agreement. Vose suggested that if MTN had a performance agreement this year, the crisis caused by the threatened budget cut wouldn't have happened. Huber said that she did present a 2008 proposal in May, but the city never responded, and the crisis still happened. Now that Gail Plewacki is gone, Colby said that she is trying to figure out if the performance agreement still has the same weight. The board is directing Colby to find out what the difference is between the contract and the performance agreement. She will let the board know by email.

C. Treasurer's Report. Andrew Hedden presented.
There were some unusual expenses in September, including severance and the consultant hired to facilitate the creation of a long range plan for MTN. Huber said she'd like to see all of the long range planning money in one category, not split between two categories. Colby also passed out a second spreadsheet containing projected income and expenses for 2007. There were lots of legal fees in 2007 due to employee issues and the Al Flowers trial. Colby said she feels that these projections are an accurate depiction of what will happen by the end of the year. Move to accept as submitted. MSP Child, Jenkins

D. Comcast – Lance Leupold presented.
Leupold reported status quo at Comcast.

E. City of Minneapolis –Pam Colby read a statement from John Harrision.
Andrew Hedden's seat is expiring, not Kevin Jenkins' seat as was reported last month. Comcast's monthly subscribers report is not released until the twelfth of each month, so it is not available for this meeting.

F. Minneapolis Public Schools – Pam Colby and Edie French reported.
The Minneapolis Public Schools are continuing to educate our children and dealing with changes.

G. Nominating Committee. Marido Huber presented.
Rainville nominated Higinbotham. There were no other nominees. Colby will check who is term-limited in their position on the Executive Committee.

H. Pam Colby's review. Marido Huber presented.
Huber said she would like to schedule Colby's annual review for February, so it doesn't shift to May like it did last year.

I. Board participation. Marido Huber presented.
Huber said she would like for all board members to make some donation or be a member, so MTN can say it has 100% participation.

Child asked permission to express some concerns. He said that he doesn't think the board has provided enough support to Colby in running MTN. He said he'd like for board to take some of the weight off of Pam in the coming years. He wondered if she needs someone to assist her in managing the operations. Huber said that the board could be more active, not by participating in the day-to-day, but by lobbying, looking over contracts and by having the committees meet more often. Jenkins suggested that the board ask Colby if there is anything she needs from them. Child suggested that MTN needs a board member who knows how to do grant writing. Colby said that MTN can fill holes in knowledge though board recruitment. Colby also said that operations were going very smoothly prior to the recent crisis caused by the 2008 budget scare. Now things are getting back to normal. She said that she is feeling optimistic.

III. Adjourn
Meeting adjourned at 6:29 p.m. MSP Child, Jenkins.