Minneapolis Telecommunications Network
Board of Directors Meeting
Thursday, October 21, 2004

Board Members Present: Robert Vose, Floyd Child, Marido Huber, Tom Cassidy, Mark Engebretson, Joan Higinbotham, Vusi Zulu
Board Members Absent: Joel Rainville, Tamir Nolley
Ex-Officio Present: Lance Leupold
Others Present: Pamela Colby, John Akre, Martin Hallanger, Jim Derks

Vose called the meeting to order at 5:35 p.m.

I. Opening Business

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

B. Approval of agenda. Engebretson suggested the addition of Priority item "B. Proposed Resolution" MSP Child, Higinbotham

C. Minutes from the September board meeting. Vose asked Akre to double-check the spelling of "Plewacki." MSP Child, Engebretson


II. Reports

A. City of Minneapolis - C. John Harrison not present

B. Minneapolis Public Schools
Colby reported that Melissa Winter resigned from her position at the Minneapolis Public Schools. A replacement for her on the MTN Board has not yet been selected. Huber suggested that Colby find out why MTN was not notified about the school district's RFP for production services. Higinbotham suggested that Colby first ask about the selection process before drafting the letter. Motion: That Colby contact the schools and send a letter asking why MTN was not informed of their RFP process for production services. MSP: Engebretson, Higinbotham

C. Time Warner Cable - Lance Leupold presented
There are currently 78,295 subscribers. Time Warner sent out their Report to the Community. Time Warner is fast approaching a public rollout of their digital phone service. They are now in the 911 system. There followed some discussion between Hallanger and Leupold about the possibility of Time Warner using MTN in their promotional efforts. Leupold suggested that grassroots level publicity of MTN would be more effective than corporate level publicity. Leupold suggested that Time Warner would air the MTN produced ?Only on cable? spot if received. Cassidy offered to promote Time Warner in MTN publicity if Time Warner would promote MTN.

D. Executive Director's Report - Pam Colby presented
The Member's Meeting with City Council is scheduled for Friday, November 4th at 9 am in City Council chambers. Colby will give the MTN Business Plan and Annual Report. Vose will give a presentation on the franchise renewal process and, perhaps, present a resolution. There will be time for Council Members to talk about the renewal.
The MTN Holiday Party and live show will be on December 10th.
MTN staff covered a School Board debate on October 18th, and the Nordic Roots festival, among other recent events.
Leupold suggested that there might be a conflict if MTN is covering a School Board debate for no charge while inquiring why they were not included in an RFP for Production Services. Colby said that debate was not sponsored by the School Board.

E. Treasure's Report - Child presented
Child said that he believes there are some errors in the Profit Loss report as received and has asked Colby to speak to the accountant about these. Child would prefer to defer the report to the next board meeting.


III. Priority Items

A. Executive Committee Report - Vose presented
The Executive Committee has met recently regarding franchise renewal and the potential that MTN might be merged with the City Office of Video Services. Vose was directed by the Committee to send a letter to Communications Director Plewacki to ask for an update on the merger and franchise renewal. Her response was that the city will talk to MTN when it is ready to talk to MTN. Vose and Colby met with Plewacki and Harrison last week. Plewacki said she would contact MTN when she had something important to tell MTN. She said that three teams of city staff are working on the merger study. She absolutely committed to share with MTN the unfiltered results of those reports and let MTN know what recommendations the staff would give to the City Council. She also said negotiations with Time Warner are in informal process and MTN would not be party to that, but would be contacted if community programming came up. Vose said that Plewacki made it clear that before any deal was set, MTN would be able to look at and comment on it. Vose said we are not sure how that will happen. Zulu said that the city?s approach suggests to him that MTN?s input will have no value. Engebretson suggested a resolution asking City Council to formalize a process for MTN review of the franchise renewal.

B. Proposed Resolution - Engebretson presented
Engebretson said he was surprised to hear at the last board meeting that the merger idea was still under discussion. He presented a resolution. "The Board of Directors of the Minneapolis Telecommunications Network supports the city's efforts to explore cost savings and efficiencies in public and government access. Specifically, the MTN Board supports the city's efforts to explore whether cost saving and efficiencies might be realized if MTN were to produce and cablecast programming currently provided by the City. The MTN Board believes that the city of Minneapolis was initially correct in establishing MTN as a separate non-profit organization to operate public access. Free speech will best be served by maintaining this tradition."
There followed much discussion about the purpose and the wording of the resolution. Engebretson said that the resolution states that public access is best served by a non-profit organization, and that more money could be saved if MTN produced city programming. Higinbotham said that the board agrees with the sense of the resolution but that it needs to be wordsmithed and sent to the board for e-mail approval. Zulu made a motion to that effect, but there was no second.
Vose suggested that the board first needs to resolve whether they pass a resolution or make a presentation during the Member's Meeting. Motion: that MTN pass a resolution and make a presentation. MSP Huber, Zulu.
Motion: that the Chair and Engebretson review the present draft and forward their changes to the rest of the board members for approval by Oct. 29th. MSP Huber, Child

On October 29, 2004, the following resolution was approved unanimously by the MTN Board through e-mail:
Whereas the Minneapolis Telecommunications Network Board of Directors supports the city's efforts to explore cost savings and efficiencies in public and government access; and
Whereas, specifically, the MTN Board believes significant savings could be realized if MTN produced and cablecast City of Minneapolis programming; and
Whereas in 1982 the city of Minneapolis acted responsibly and wisely by establishing MTN as a separate non-profit organization to support and operate public access; and
Whereas supporting and protecting freedom of speech is paramount to MTN's mission.; and
Whereas freedom of speech is best served by maintaining the tradition of having a separate non-profit organization to support and operate public access; now.
Therefore, be it resolved that the MTN Board of Directors request that the City of Minneapolis explore options for having MTN produce and cablecast City of Minneapolis television programs and.
Be it further resolved that the MTN Board of Directors is opposed to the City of Minneapolis assuming responsibility for the production of public access programming and the management of public access channels.

Engebretson asked about the issue of formalizing the process by which MTN reviews the franchise renewal. Motion: Direct the MTN Chair to ask City Council to direct its staff to provide a statement outlining how MTN will be involved formally in the franchise renewal, as it affects MTN. MSP Engebretson, Zulu.

C. Executive Director Review
The Ex-officio and Others present left for this agenda item.
Colby performed a self-review and presented it to the Executive Committee. Colby requested a 2.8 percent pay increase retroactive to May 1. Motion: Accept Colby review and grant her a 2.8 percent pay increase; MS Higinbotham, Zulu. Motion failed.
There followed discussion on whether this increase was sufficient. Zulu proposed a merit increase and withdrew his second to the motion.
Motion: Accept Colby review and grant her a 3.8 percent salary increase. M Zulu. No second on the motion.
Motion: Accept Colby review and grant her a 2.8 percent salary increase retroactive to May 1. MSP Child, Higinbotham
Motion: Grant Colby a one-time, one-percent bonus on Nov. 1. MSP Child, Zulu

IV. Adjourn
Meeting adjourned at 7:45 p.m. MSP Child, Higinbotham