Minneapolis Television Network
Board of Directors Meeting
Thursday, December 9, 2004

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

Vose called the meeting to order at 5:36 p.m.

I. Opening Business

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

B. Approval of agenda. Add to agenda item "F. Committee Reports." MSP Higinbotham, Child

C. Minutes from the November board meeting. MSP Nolley, Higinbotham


II. Reports

A. City of Minneapolis - C. John Harrison presented
Tom Cassidy, Floyd Child, and Vusi Zulu's Board terms are ending soon - Cassidy and Child may re-apply. Zulu has already served two terms. Colby said that members who re-apply have traditionally been appointed for a new term. Harrison said the Communications Department budget has not been adopted yet, and thus MTN's budget number is not available. He said that he believed that this year's budget number would be the same as last year's. Colby asked about the CPI Index addition. Harrison said that there was a joint Minneapolis - St. Paul IGR meeting that was carried live both in Minneapolis and Saint Paul through a fiber connection. Harrison said that there has been no franchise renegotiation meeting since last month.

B. Minneapolis Public Schools - no report

C. Time Warner Cable - Lance Leupold presented
Current subscriber number is 78,814. He received the MTN "Only on Cable" PSA and could start airing it as early as December. Time Warner sent the equipment payment check to the city. Colby said she has sent MTN's invoice to the city for that payment.

D. Executive Director's Report - Pam Colby presented
The MTN Member Appreciation Party will be on December 10.
MTN was the featured organization for November by NAMAC. An article in the upcoming Community Media Review will tell about MTN's Somali production.
The landlord is replacing some of MTN's carpet.
Colby will get the budget to the Finance Committee as soon as she has numbers from the city - expect approval at the January board meeting.
Vose asked about the MTN item at the City Council Ways and Means Committee Meeting. Colby reported that Council Member Zerby tried to get the committee to pass the resolution that MTN presented at its Member's Meeting. This did not happen, but the Committee did suggest that the MTN resolution be incorporated into Plewacki's study. At the end of the meeting, Council Member Johnson asked for Plewacki to come up with a plan for communicating with MTN. Vose said that although the council agreed to no organizational union, they did leave it open that MTN could possibly be cut at some point. Zulu asked about what MTN would do in respect to this. Vose said that MTN has asked to see and respond to the report that the Communications Department staff is working on when that report is completed.

E. Treasure's Report - Child presented
A copy of the report was handed out. The budget is in a new format that reflects the changes that had been asked for. Child said that MTN is running behind in income but running behind even more in expenses. Motion to accept the report. MSP Nolley, Zulu.

F. Committee Reports
Equipment Committee - Child reported. Child met with Derks and initiated a process in which staff is asked to come up with recommendations on how equipment funds should be spent. Equipment Committee, Finance Committee and staff need to work together on this. His goal would be to have complete technology update, but this is not possible.
Public Relations Committee - Nolley reported that the committee is meeting on Monday, December 13.
Executive Committee - Vose asked if a meeting should be scheduled. Colby suggested scheduling on-line.
Nolley asked about Board Officer elections. This generally happens early in the new year, or after new members are appointed.

III. Adjourn
Meeting adjourned at 6:05 p.m. MSP Higinbotham, Nolley