Minneapolis Telecommunications Network
Board of Directors Meeting
Thursday, November 8, 2001
Board Members Present: Mark Engebretsonbretson, Michael Rainville, Tomas Gonda, Julie Wallace, Vusi Zulu, Joan Higinbotham
Board Members Absent: Christina Stoeckel, Floyd Child
Ex-Officio Present: Lance Leupold, Edie French
Others Present: Pam Colby, John Akre
Meeting called to order at 5:44 by Mark Engebretson
A hard copy of the report was handed out. Colby reported on the misunderstanding about MTN's CPI funds. MTN will ask for this year's funds in its request for 2002. Engebretson also is sending a request to French asking for an explanation.
B. Time Warner Cable - Lance Leupold
Leupold dropped off a digital tuner for Jim Derks.
Leupold said that the Time Warner has increased security at the Plymouth Avenue location. Security changes begin next Monday (11/12). He gave Colby employee cards for the access reader, along with I.D. badges and cover letters explaining them. The cards will give 24 hour access to the back door. A Time Warner staff person should be able to let in producers who need to drop off their tapes. Next Thursday at 1:35 p.m. there will be an evacuation drill. In the drill, people in the MTN area will get a verbal yell through the door asking them to leave immediately and to meet at the mailbox at the corner of Aldrich and Plymouth Avenue.
Leupold said that Time Warner decided not to move the upper MTN channels.
Leupold said that there were 79,672 subscribers at present on the system.
Engebretson asked if Time Warner would be consolidating its staff in one building. Leupold said he hasn't heard if it was approved. Leupold will follow up on it.
Engebretson asked if Time Warner would pay $50,000 for equipment. Leupold said they were studying it at this time.
C. City of Minneapolis - Edie French reported.
The budget office told her that they felt that the CPI was put into the base budget at the beginning of the year; but she has heard different things from different budget staff people. Budget office staff proposed putting it into the base budget each year, making an automatic increase rather than waiting for CPI numbers to be released - this staff person recommended adding $10,000 automatically each year. Zulu asked if a council decision was needed to make this change; French did not think so. Zulu made a motion that MTN accept the $10,000 a year adjustment that might be adjusted up, but only adjusted up, based on the final CPI number. Wallace seconded. Wallace asked if MTN could get a letter from French showing how this process would take place. Engebretson said that this process does not agree with the franchise. Colby said that the October and December numbers are rarely different. Zulu accepted a friendly amendment to his motion. Motion: That MTN accept its yearly CPI adjustment based on the October CPI numbers. MSP Zulu, Wallace.
Engebretson thanked French for her follow up on this.
A hard copy of the budget was passed out. Colby said the budget needs to be accepted before a hearing on November 18th. Fine-tuning needs to be done based on final November and December numbers. Rainville encouraged Colby to do some training and development. Colby said staff hours may need to be cut in the next year. Engebretson asked about the Hennepin County contract. Colby said our contract with them routinely calls for more money than they spend on services. Colby said that a new facility would be good for MTN; a more unified and smaller space would be more efficient. Wallace said that the budget does not reflect funding for researching a move. Motion: Approval of the MTN 2002 budget. MSP Rainville, Zulu.
Meeting adjourned 6:30 p.m. MSP Zulu, Wallace.