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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008/02/21 - ADMIN - Minutes - Community Technology Advisory Commission - RegularOFFICIAL MINUTES ST. LOUIS PARK TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION MEETING OF February 21, 2008 ST. LOUIS PARK COUNCIL CHAMBERS MEMBERS PRESENT: Rick Dworsky, David Dyer, Dale Hartman, Bob Jacobson, Toby Keeler, Rolf Peterson MEMBERS ABSENT: Bruce Browning and Kirk Morrow STAFF PRESENT: Reg Dunlap, Civic TV Coordinator; John McHugh, Community TV Coordinator OTHERS PRESENT: None 1. Call to Order Vice Chair Jacobson called the meeting to order at 7:07 PM. 2. Roll Call Present at roll call were Commissioners Dworsky, Dyer, Hartman, Jacobson and Keeler (via telephone). New Commissioners Dyer and Keeler were introduced. 3. Approval of Minutes for December 6, 2007 It was moved by Commissioner Dworsky to approve the minutes of December 6, 2007, without changes. The motion passed 3-0-2 (Commissioners Dyer and Keeler abstained) by a roll call vote. 4. Adoption of Agenda Mr. Dunlap noted the agenda had been revised to add item 6e, MACTA Request for Funds to file FCC Comments opposing Qwest forbearance request It was moved by Commissioner Dyer, seconded by Commissioner Dworsky, to approve the agenda as amended. The motion passed 5-0 by a roll call vote. Commissioner Peterson arrived. 5. Public Comment – None 6. New Business A. Broadband over power lines (BPL) Update Mr. Dunlap noted he sent articles summarizing the information. BPL is coveted technology, especially in rural areas because the wires to all homes already exist. Testing speeds were similar to DSL and it is widespread in Europe. There is some bad news about deployments in the United States: there are no industry-wide standards, and trials have been mixed. Rochester, Minnesota did a trial, but closed it down. Xcel may develop BPL and Centerpoint Energy has a trial going on and customers in Houston. Commissioner Dworsky suggested contacting Centerpoint and Xcel to see if they are interested in pursuing BPL. Mr. Dunlap noted he would contact staff in Rochester. Vice Chair Jacobson suggested staff attain more information and report back to the Commission. It was moved by Commissioner Dworsky, seconded by Commissioner Dyer, to request staff inquire with Xcel, Centerpoint and the City of Rochester on Broadband over power lines and report back to the Commission. The motion passed 6-0 by a roll call vote. B. Data privacy issues, the Data Privacy Act and Comcast information that is public Mr. Dunlap indicated that Comcast would ask a customer for their social security number for identification and the information is available in the billing system with only the last four digits. This complies with State and Federal law. A customer does not have to provide that information and could come up with another code to identify themselves. C. Federal Communications Commission video franchising update Mr. Dunlap stated that the FCC adopted regulations allowing telephone companies to come into markets and build competing video systems. There was no new information since the last meeting. D. State law update and possible resolution supporting Minnesota statute 238 Mr. Dunlap read from the sample resolution supporting the existing State law because the State Legislature is involved in this again. Minnesota Association of Community Telecommunications Advisors (MACTA) has been working to make sure a State law, similar to those in other states, is not passed to allow a company to get a statewide franchise and redistribute franchise fees. Part of the reason the law had been passed in other states was because it was cheaper and more efficient for the telephone companies that are building new systems in other states, with few restrictions under some detrimental statewide franchises. MACTA believes local cable franchising should be maintained to ensure local needs are met. The Commissioner should consider if they wanted to address the sample resolution and send it forward to the City Council for consideration. It was moved by Commissioner Peterson, seconded by Commissioner Dworsky, to approve the resolution supporting Minnesota Statute 238 and forward it to City Council. The motion passed 6-0 by a roll call vote. E. MACTA Request for Funds to file FCC Comments opposing Qwest forbearance request Mr. Dunlap stated that MACTA had been monitoring an issue that Qwest has asked the FCC for relief from regulations that would impact business providers. Business providers may get phone and Internet services from other providers, but must access those services through Qwest lines. If forbearance is allowed and Qwest has no regulation, they may raise rates to business providers significantly, which makes it harder for them to compete with Qwest. MACTA is requesting Telecomm commissions provide a total of $3,000 to help provide comments to the FCC. The Commission could make a motion expressing City interest in assisting with the process and provide an amount not to exceed $300. Commissioner Peterson asked if that would be statewide for Qwest or Federal? Mr. Dunlap replied it was for Qwest’s petition in Minnesota. Commissioner Peterson asked if it had been granted in other areas? Mr. Dunlap replied AT&T and Verizon requested forbearance in other states and the FCC had denied those requests because of local opposition. Commissioner Peterson asked where the $300 would come from? Mr. Dunlap responded the Commission would make a recommendation to City Council. He could notify MACTA that the Commission was interested in supporting this. It was moved by Commissioner Peterson, seconded by Commissioner Dyer, to recommend the City Council pass a Resolution responding to the MACTA Request for Funds to file FCC Comments opposing Qwest forbearance request in an amount not to exceed $300. The motion passed 6-0 by a roll call vote. 7. Old Business A. Park WiFi update Mr. Dunlap stated there was no new information. The policy is to continue working with ARINC to resolve the situation. ARINC is in default of their contract and the poles would need to be removed at their expense. The Commission will be meeting with City Council in March or April. Mr. McHugh suggested language for the Commission to propose to the City Council that they are willing to explore community connectivity. They could have a sub committee meet with the Chief Information office and find out the options (WiFi hotspots, etc.) The Commission can inquire if the Council wants them to research community connectivity and meet with City staff to come up with findings to present in May. Vice Chair Jacobson noted they should also find out if the Commission should be doing more with their mission statement. Commissioners felt it was appropriate to pursue this issue further. Commissioner Dyer was willing to work on a sub committee. Mr. McHugh noted they would need to get approval from the City Council first. If Commissioners had relevant information, please share it with staff. B. Review of cable company franchise fee audits Mr. Dunlap referred to the handout. Comcast will provide information that relates to City’s oversight of the franchise. The Commission could request information. Commissioner Jacobson suggested this go to City Council. Commissioner Dworsky asked what would be gained on audit versus reviews? Mr. Dunlap replied it was unclear how it would play out. Commissioner Dyer suggested since Comcast took over in 2006, they might be more responsible to wait another year so there was more time to analyze it. Mr. Dunlap noted traditionally it was done in three-year terms. If they waited, they wouldn’t be able to go back to 2005. It was moved by Commissioner Dworsky, seconded by Commissioner Dyer, to direct staff to prepare requests for proposal for a cable television franchise fee audit, at the discretion of City Council to audit or review, for 2005 through 2007. The motion passed 6-0 by a roll call vote. C. Park TV & Community TV update Mr. McHugh presented concepts for community TV operation (new logo, promotions of community announcements, programming opportunities in community, promotion for student videos, use of community studio, ad in Park Perspective, Community Education catalog, channel promos for what is playing, example of how channel programming is done, community television has senior video club at Lenox (slpseniors.org), promotion of channel for senior video club, and senior newsletter). He showed an example of camcorders available for use. Mr. Dunlap displayed the Park TV web site (live streaming, schedules, video on demand, cable TV information, Comcast information, federal laws and regulations, franchise information, contact information, etc.). Vice Chair Jacobson commended staff on excellent work. D. Fiber optic ordinance update - None 8. Reports A. Complaints Vice Chair Jacobson commented there seemed to be a misunderstanding from people calling in about the costs. On a national basis, there has been a deregulation of fees and fee structures and cable companies could charge what they wanted and people wouldn’t get notices. Commissioner Dyer noted the complaint about services going in and out and believed that problem was more common with digital service. Mr. Dunlap noted the customer service tech related that issue to the cold weather. Residents should let staff know about issues and they could ask Comcast. Commissioner Peterson noted the complaint report was getting shorter, but problem seemed to drag on. Vice Chair Jacobson believed the escalation team seemed to do well along with the number of customer service representatives and more training. B. 2007 Park TV Programming Report Mr. Dunlap noted there was a memo in the packet with the programming for the summer of 2007. Channel 15 plays the most different programs, 579. On Channel 17, half of the programming is public meetings. 9. Communications from the Chair Vice Chair Jacobson felt it was important for people to understand the terms in the technology industry and noted a good source was techweb.com. Comcast produced a monthly magazine of their schedule, which is available for $3-5/month. He thanked staff for their presentation of available services. 10. Communications from City Staff Mr. Dunlap noted Lance Leupold from Comcast indicated Channel 1 would be available soon for video on demand (free and for charge). The Commission will be meeting with City Council in either March or April. He would contact Commissioners for availability. 11. Adjournment Commissioner Dworsky made a motion, Commissioner Peterson seconded to adjourn at 8:28 p.m. The motion passed. Respectfully submitted by: Amy L. Stegora-Peterson Recording Secretary