Minneapolis Telecommunications Network

Board of Directors Meeting

Thursday, November 14, 2002

Board Members Present: Mark Engebretson, Julie Wallace, Cristina Stoeckel, Tomas Gonda, Robert Vose, Floyd Child, Tamir Nolley,

Board Members Absent:, Joan Higinbotham, Vusi Zulu

Ex-Officio Present: Lance Leupold, Edie French

Others Present: Pamela Colby

Due to MTN's participation in the Citizen's Fair, an event that promotes organizations associated with the City of Minneapolis, the meeting was held at the Convention Center. Mark Engebretson called the meeting to order at 5:42 p.m.

  1. Opening Business
    1. Comments from public, staff, and board.

      2. Engebretson expressed his gratitude to Michael Rainville for securing MTN a meeting room at the Convention Center.

    2. Approval of agenda, MSP Wallace, Gonda
    3. Minutes from the October board meeting. III. Facilities Committee Report, "Engebretson said that challenge for MTN is that we do not know what is going on in City Hall in respect to MTN funding." Engebretson requested to change to reflect his intent, "Engebretson said that the challenge for MTN is that we do not know what is going on in City Hall in respect to support for an MTN facility." I. A. Comments from public, staff, and board, French requested in reference to the cities WEB site award this sentence be added, "One of the factors in the award is that the City is doing WEB streaming of the City Council meetings." MSP Vose, Wallace
  2. Reports
    1. City of Minneapolis – Edie French presented.

      2. French was contacted by Time Warner on the prior Tuesday regarding channel change lineup request. French suggested that Leupold report on this issue.

    2. Time Warner Cable – Lance Leupold presented

      3. Leupold provided Colby a written letter of 90 days notice, as requested by

      Franchise Ordinance, stating that channels 67-71 will be moved to 75-79 effective February 12, 2002. Leupold went on to explain that Time Warner will be making other channel line up changes at the end of the year and would prefer to make the PEG channel changes at that time. Luepold stated that Time Warner believed that this was a decision that the MTN Board of Director's had authority to make. He apologized for the short notice. He offered to pay MTN $2,500.00 to cover publicity material costs and offered to move up the disputed $50,000.00 equipment payment to early in December. Vose and French questioned whether there were PR related activities that Time Warner might do to inform subscribers of the changes. Vose asked French if the MTN Board in fact had authority to make the decision. Vose noted that MTN should keep in mind that Time Warner will make the changes in February regardless what we do tonight. Luepold stated that the changes would be included in the 2003 Channel Guide. Colby listed P.R. materials that would need changing. Colby asked if accurate internal channel identification could be placed on PEG channels. Luepold responded that channel identification is encoded for the channels system wide and might pose a problem. French asked about the feasibility of placing Deutsche Welle back on an available MTN channel. Leupold responded that French or MTN would have to come up with the terms of this agreement, this might be cumbersome to Time Warner's current negotiation with Deutsche Welle. Vose made the motion, " Authorize Colby to give Time Warner permission to change channel line up on less than 90 days notice when Colby determines that the following criteria is met:

        1. $2,500.00 for Public Relations changes and $300.00 for a mass mailing for members.
        2. Early payment of the $50,000.00 disputed equipment funds.
        3. Time Warner will put Character Generator notice on open channels unless technically infeasible.
        4. Time Warner will endeavor to make the digital navigator channel use specific on the upper channels unless technically infeasible.
        5. Time Warner will include a notice in mass mailing of cable subscribers.

    MSP Nolley, Wallace

    Engbretson stated that in the next franchise he would desire language that does not allow the cable company the sole ability to change the channel line up. Child stated that this work should go to the Franchise Renewal committee.

    Leupold continued his report stating that the current number of subscribers is 80,808. Leupold reported on a request from the previous MTN board meeting regarding Time Warner's marketing of PEG channels. He stated that PEG channels do not fit in the main marketing mission, primarily because PEG is not market or viewer driven but rather producer driven. Time Warner can not guarantee what will be on the PEG channels and an anti-Semitic show could ruin all marketing work. Nolley asked about a PSA promoting public access and would they play that on Time Warner channels. Leupold replied that he believed that they would include it but the PSA would need to be generic enough to be include system wide. He suggested that a line such as "brought to you by MTN" be added at the end of the PSA. Wallace suggested that MTN work with the other 6 or 7 public access entities on the Time Warner system.

    C. Minneapolis Public Schools – No representative present.

    D. Executive Director’s Report – Pam Colby reported. (attached)

    E. Treasurer’s Report – Colby distributed Profit and Loss sheet. Higinbotham was not present. Child asked about budget process. Colby responded that the Finance Committee must meet before the December meeting.

     

  3. Priority Items

    4. A. Facilities Committee Report

    Vose reported. Committee met with architect Brian Hatlan who presented a nearly completed draft report. Vose stated that the advantages of re-negotiating our lease or relocating now are that we currently have a "soft market". Vose reported that Hatlan has found that we can reconfigure our existing space for a financial savings. Vose is working on a draft lease based on the terms in our current lease. Vose is building this lease utilizing soft market rates of today. Child recommended that if MTN could function with less space that we should move towards that goal immediately. Child cited the current budgetary problems with the city of Minneapolis. He noted that savings beginning today would be magnified in the future. Wallace asked if current facility would have room for playback if downsizing occurred. Vose answered that Hatlan believes there is room to do both. However Hatlan did not map this out. Wallace questioned what guarantees we have that playback will be able to stay in the Time Warner Building. Engebretson stated that securing our facility now would help the City in negotiations with Time Warner regarding the franchise negotiations.

    B. Engebretson passed out a Universal Service Resolution. The report was handed out for contemplation, no discussion.

  4. Adjourn

Meeting adjourned at 7:00 p.m. MSP Vose. Nolley