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Home My WebLink About11/11/1997 Telecommunications Telecommunications Board, City of The Colony Minutes of the Tuesday, November 11, 1997 Board Meeting Present: Clark Switzer, Walter Gillet, Lisa Leary, Bill Cunningham Absent: Russell Raybourn, Joan Sveinsson-Staff Liaison Meeting held in the Conference Room, City Hall, 5151 North Colony Boulevard, The Colony, TX, 75056 Meeting called to order: 7:15 PM Election of Officers Walter Gillett made the motion to nominate Clark Switzer as Chairperson, Lisa Leary seconds. Clark Switzer elected Chairperson. Clark Switzer made the motion to nominate Bill Cunningham as Vice-Chairperson, Lisa Leary seconds. Bill Cunningham elected Vice-Chair. Clark Switzer made the motion to nominate Lisa Leary as Secretary, Bill Cunningham seconds. Lisa Leary elected Secretary. Developing a Mission Statement for the Telecommunications Board was discussed. General goals should be to develop greater communications for community, set guidelines for telecommunications - local and long distance phone service, and develop all areas of Telecommunications. Members agreed to bring model mission statements to the November 25, 1997 Board Meeting. Fees and Services Discussion. Board agreed to research the issue of fees to determine the exact capabilities of TCCAT prior to submitting fees for approval to the Fees Committee. Clark Switzer presented report of finance for TCCAT Football Season. The Colony Tire and Auto/Jimmy Briggs sponsored 10 TCHS football games/Weekly Coach Tommy Briggs' Show/CYFA football games. Total $2,000.00. Digital Magic Factory/Mike Catt received $1,500.00 for editing services. Leaving $500.00 for the Telecommunications Board. Clark Switzer presented plan for TCHS Boys Basketball on TCCAT. Proposed $2,000.00 for 10 home games, tournament play (3 games), and weekly Coach's show. Basketball Booster is to find sponsorship for the season, if none is found, then no games will be taped or aired. Brief discussion of airing The Colony community church services. Issue will be further discussed upon completion of mission statement for the Board, feasibility of airing and fees development. No action taken. Airing of Lewisville Independent School District Board of General Board of Trustees' Meetings. Need to check with City Attorney to determine legal right to tape. Clark Switzer gave report on taping and airing of the series "Interview with an Elected Official." LISD Dale Jackson Career Center, Media Tech Class has produced shows consisting of interviews with State Representative, Denton County Commissioners' Court Judge, District 3 Rep, Justice of the Peace. Future shows are also planned. The need for a Telecommunications Board Workshop briefly discussed. Workshop will serve the purpose of allowing for development of guidelines, regulations, and standards for the Board and TCCAT (The Colony Cable Access Television). Meeting adjourned 9:00 PM. C-7) C- e~r~fce.r MINUTES OF THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS BOARD OF THE CITY OF THE COLONY NOVEMBER 25, 1997 A REGULAR SESSION of the Telecommunications Board of the City of The Colony, Texas, was called to order by Chair Clark Switzer at 7:05 P.M. at City Hall, 5151 North Colony Blvd., The Colony, Texas. Present: Clark Switzer, Bill Cunningham, Walter Gillett, Lisa Leary, Joan Sveinsson, Staff Liaison Absent: Russell Raybourn (Work Related) Staff: Tony Johnston - City Finance Director, Lanny Lambert - City Manager Visitors: Dwight "Andy" Anderson, Kevin Matthews, Bob Bean Guest: Ricky Allen, General Manager, TCI Cable 1. CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM THE NOVEMBER 11, 1997 BOARD MEETING Minutes stand approved as submitted. 6. OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST Tony Johnston presented recent ruling from the courts regarding franchise taxes. Dallas/Larado filed suit and won the right to be paid from the gross revenue as opposed to the net revenue from TCI. Mr. Johnston asked Board to approve Mr. Johnston not taking action. TCI required action if a city wishes to continue to receive from net. An additional revenue of approximately $4,000.00 will be realized. Lisa Leary made a motion to allow Mr. Johnston to not go through with action. Allowing monies to go to the City's general fund. Walter Gillet second. All approved. Tony Johnston and Lanny Lambert departed from meeting. 2. DISCUSSION WITH GENERAL MANAGER OF T.C.I. Ricky Allen, General Director, TCI Cable: Presentation of TCI in The Colony, TX • Mr. Allen became TCI Area General Manager in May '97. • Subscription rate is approximately 48% of the households (8000) in The Colony. • TCI is actively campaigning to increase subscription rate. Special is $9.95 for installation. • New development areas and developers being campaigned to include cable in their building package. • TAP Audit to be performed. Tap Audit will tap cable line to check what addresses are active. If an address is active and not a subscriber, TCI will approach occupant to either subscribe or be cut off. No legal action to be taken against the occupant at the present time. • Three (3) community access channels are available. Only one in use at the present time. • FCC regulations are specific on Political and Religious broadcasting. • FCC requires no campaigning by any candidates from filing date to election date. • TCI Legal Counsel checked on the format for video tape use on cable access. TCI finds none. • January 1998 - TCI will upgrade services to The Colony to include Digital Package. This will increase number of channels available. Additional fee of $10.00, plus $3.00 for each box, monthly. • Permitted to broadcast commercial radio signal over bulletin board (Ch. 6.) Must have a Retransmission Consent Letter from each station aired on file. • Master Head-In will relocate to Frisco. The Colony office to remain open for customer service. Mr. Allen fielded questions from Board Members and Guests. Mr. Allen to check on the following and return information to board via contact or fax. • Is another keyboard available for the control room? To facilitate off-air editing. ® What additional equipment is available? • Can a release be done on a second channel? And when? • Rebroadcast of NOAA • Providing service to public buildings not currently served: the Public Library and Camey Elementary School. Recessed for Mr. Allen and members to go to the dispatch area in the Police Department to look at equipment presently being used. Mr. Allen departs. 3. CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF GUIDELINES 4. CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF RECOMMENDATION TO THE FEES COMMITTEE OF A FEE SCHEDULE 5. DISCUSSION REGARDING BROADCASTING CHURCH SERVICES Walter Gillet made motion to table Agenda Items 3, 4 and 5 for discussion at a future meeting. Lisa Leary seconds. All approved. 6. OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST (CONTINUED) Brief discussion regarding goals for the future of Channel Six. Develop and approve for Council consideration Regulations, Guidelines, Budget, Fees, Volunteer Orientation, Volunteer Training. Priority items - Keyboard, Second Channel. Meeting adjourned at 10:35 PM. lark SwMe , Cha' &4 Lisa Le, y, Secre ry NUruteg of tlkc x elee nmmu6cations Board (;f the City of The Colony December 9, 1997 A REG°ULAIt SESSION of the Telecommunications Dwwd of the City of The Colony, Texas, was called to order by Chair Clark Switzer at 7:00 P.M., at City Hall, 5151 North Colony Blvd., The Colony, Texas. Present: Chair' Clark Switzer, Walter Gillet, Lisa Leary, Joan Sveinsson-Library Director, Staff Liaison, Absent, Russell Raybourn (Work £Ulated - excused) Bill Cunningham (Illness - excused) 1. Minutes of the November 25, 1997 meeting stand approved as submitted- 2_ Board received report regarding N.O.A.A. obtained by D. Cuwangba-rn, reported by L.Leary. 3. Board agreed to develop Policies. Policies shall be prepared and submitted to The Coloay City Council for approval. Policies shall include the designation of channel as govenimental, mission statemeDt, goals, progranuxzing policies, and produotion policies. Board agreed to exclude policy on youth sports until a standard policy is accepted by the City Council. Youth Sports shall be addressed in the future. 4. Due to the nature of the channel operation being all volunteer at this time, production can not occur unless a agreement is in place. Other Business: I . Status of tapes submitted to The Colony Library. Tapes are actively being processed- City Council tapes are available for check out. Football tapes and County Commissioner tapes are not yet processed. 2_ Request that members of Board handle, different aspects of Telecommunications Board. C.Switzer requested that we all begin thinking about what issues are important to each of us personally and what we wish to be actively involved with. At a fixture meeting, members will be asked to sign up for different committees, 3. Discussion occurred regarding upcomjjng issues in our community- Specifically, city bond issues, sales tax issues, and measures. It will be necessary to address these issues as they relate to the access charmel and how exactly they will be handled if at all. 4. Need to develop a timeline for future goals. So that as requests are made of the access channel, those asked will have the answers. 5_ Request for a clear definition from Pain Nelson, Parks and Rec, as to wWch activities MR directly oversees. Meeting Adjourned 9:15 PM. 6z~-- I - Clark Switzer, C air Lisa Le y, Secrtsta y 0