Minneapolis Telecommunications Network

Board of Directors Meeting

Thursday, June 13, 2002

Board Members Present: Mark Engebretson, Julie Wallace, Cristina Stoeckel, Joan Higinbotham

Board Members Absent: Floyd Child, Tomas Gonda, Robert Vose, Tamir Nolley, Vusi Zulu

Ex-Officio Present: Lance Leupold

Others Present: John Akre

Engebretson opened the meeting for discussion at 5:52 p.m.

1. Opening Business
1. Comments from public, staff, and board – Engebretson commented that there is no quorum for the meeting.
2. Approval of agenda deferred
3. Minutes from the May board meeting. Approval deferred
2. Reports

A. City of Minneapolis – no report

1. Minneapolis Public Schools – no report
2. Time Warner Cable – Lance Leupold presented

The subscription number is 79,074. Time Warner will be launching video on demand next month for subscribers with a digital box. Leupold would like an updated MTN board roster with names and addresses of board members for Time Warner's mailing list. Engebretson asked for a facilities update. Leupold said it is moving forward.

3. Executive Director’s Report – Engebretson reported

Pam’s report was handed out. Engbretson asked if the MTN logo could be included in the masthead of the Monitor. There was some discussion about MTN's logos, the old and the new.

Wallace suggested sending notice of member’s screening to board members via e-mail.

3. Priority Items
1. Facilities Committee Report. Engebretson reported. He and Colby met with John Moir, city coordinator. Moir was responsive to their concerns. Moir offered the option of a no interest loan from the city to pay for MTN's new facility. Such a loan could be paid back from funds in the cable negotiations. Engebretson said that purchase of a new facility would be the most desirable route. He and Colby will meet with a representative from the mayor’s office next week. Colby is working with MAP for nonprofits on the specifications of cost of a buildout.
2. Public Relations Committee Report. Stoeckel handed out a written copy of the report.

There was discussion of MTN promoting itself during the Stone Arch Festival of the Arts over the upcoming weekend, as well as at additional events during the summer.

Wallace suggested adding neighborhood groups to the list of organizations to which to appeal.

Stoeckel talked about getting the Facilities Committee together with the Public Relations Committee to talk about getting the word out about the new facility issue. Engebretson said that MTN needs to recruit a core group to speak about the issue and to agree on the message they will spread.

Stoeckel suggested asking people taking the Informational Workshops where they heard about MTN.

 

4. Adjourn