HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996/02/13 - ADMIN - Minutes - Community Technology Advisory Commission - RegularMinutes
Cable TV Advisory Commission Meeting
St. Louis Park, Minnesota
7:00pm February 13, 1996
at City Hall Third Floor Conference Room
1. Call to order By Chairman Browning at 7:05pm.
2. Roll call Also in attendance were Commissioners Gerald Quilling, Mike
Ganyo, and Joel Brand; Mark Hammerstrom of Paragon Cable, and John McHugh
and Reg Dunlap of City staff. Commissioner Dobie Hunegs arrived a few
minutes later. Excused absence: School District Alternate Beth Corgan-
Porth notified Commissioner Quilling that she was ill and would not attend.
3. Minutes Motion by Commissioner Quilling to approve, seconded by
Commissioner Brand, adopted 4-0.
4. Adoption of agenda (add public comment if necessary)
5. Old business
A. Role of Cable Commission
This was discussed for about 90 minutes. Among the comments were:
Commissioner Quilling expressed disappointment that a Councilmember questioned
why the Commission would be involved in a negotiation, when the Council
discussed the Commission's recommendation for a 6 year franchise extension.
He cited his Board of Zoning Appeals experience, that recommendations go
to Council like any other commission. Chairman Browning described a
productive talk with Mayor Gail Dorfman about having Commissioners come to a
future Council study session. There was considerable discussion about
keeping up with the quick changes in telecommunication technology,
how Paragon and ultimately the franchise and the Commission are affected.
Commissioner Ganyo said that there was no background on the Commission, or
introduction to past practices after he joined. Since two new commissioners
will soon be appointed, he moved that a study session be set up to further
discuss the role of the commission and meet with the Council. It was
seconded by Commissioner Hunegs, and passed 5-0. The date was set for 6:00pm
March 25, subject to that being a Council study session.
After discussion concerned about the Commission's relationship with the
School District, Commissioner Brand moved to request that each PEG channel
(Education 32, Community TV33, Civic 35) provide monthly reports to
the Commission, composed of the daily programming schedules. It was
seconded by Commissioner Quilling, and passed 5-0.
6. New business
A. Basic rate review
Mr. Dunlap stated that no action was required, unless the Commission
contested Paragon's math or explanation of the rate charges. If so, the
City needed to act within 45 days, as required by the Time Warner Social
Contract. Mr. Hammerstrom clarified that the time was calculated from the
adoption of the Social Contract on November 30, 1995, so that the
Commission should have acted by January 15, but that by law (1992 Cable Act)
action could take place within 90 days of notice of the company's rate changes.
Mr. Hammerstrom briefly reviewed his handout distributed to the Commissioners
at the January 16 meeting, canceled due to lack of quorum.
Commissioner Quilling asked that the item be discussed further at the next
meeting.
7. Communications: Chairman Browning briefly discussed his photocopy of the
highlights of the recently passed Telecom bill.
8. Communications: Paragon Cable Mr. Hammerstrom said the first fiber
node had just been activated in the northeast area of the City, and that the
upgrade should be completed on schedule, by March 31. He mentioned his
letter to the Commissioners announcing new services added to the cable
line up, including the Golf and Home and Garden channels, additional HBO
and Showtime channels, full time carriage of Univision and Nostalgia
networks and additional PPV services.
Commissioner Hunegs described her disappointment that the channel
realignment moved MSC to channel 54, and that it discriminated against older
subscribers with cable ready tuners that only go to channels 36 or 40. Mr.
Hammerstrom said he was very concerned about a word as strong as
"discrimination" would be used in this context, that it had nothing to do with
realignment, but the fact is that something has to go above channel 40.
9. Communications: City staff Mr. Dunlap stated that Arlen Mattern had
suggested that folks calling the City complaining of long hold times could
call 522-1000, or 522-7700 in addition to the regular customer service
number to get help quicker. Mr. Hammerstrom said that the ice storm knocked
down 400-500 drops and that hold times were returning to normal.
10. Other Commissioner Ganyo asked how the new services were selected, if
it was by survey data; Mr. Hammerstrom said it was to match channels
available in other areas.
11. Adjournment Moved by Commissioner Quilling, seconded by Commissioner
Brand, approved 5-0 at 8:55pm.
Reg Dunlap
Recording secretary