HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997/06/17 - ADMIN - Minutes - Community Technology Advisory Commission - Regular 1
Minutes
St. Louis Park Cable TV Advisory Commission
Meeting of June 17, 1997 at 7:00pm
St. Louis Park City Hall (5005 Minnetonka Blvd.)
First Floor Community Room
1. Call to order By Chairman Tony Raiber at 7:10pm
2. Roll Call Also attending were: Commissioners Jill Boddy, Ken Huiras and Mike
Ganyo; Carol Johnson from School District #283; and John McHugh and Reg Dunlap of
City staff.
3. Approval of Minutes Moved by Commissioner Huiras, seconded by Commissioner
Ganyo, and passed 4-0.
4. Adoption of Agenda Adopted 4-0.
5. Communications from Paragon Cable Mr. Dunlap explained that Paragon items
would be handled at the July meeting.
6. Old Business
A. Request for franchise fees from School District #283 (1997-1998 School Year)
Carol Johnson was asked to elaborate on the 1997--98 Projected Funding Uses,
distributed to the Commission on May 12, 1997. Ms. Johnson said that Gerald Burt’s
efforts had been an improvement on the previous year’s efforts, that access to the
District’s equipment needed to be addressed, and that opportunities for students at the
Junior High School needed to be increased because of the strong support of Principal Les
Bork.
She said she could support dedicated playback equipment, if it were funded by the City,
and that she would like to extend the staff hours and get someone working on video in the
summer.
Mr. Dunlap asked if the curriculum development funding is required to keep the proposed
media assistant busy, referring to the Commission’s concerns that curriculum should be
covered by the School District. Ms. Johnson said that the assistant could help in other
buildings, without developing curriculum. She said they’d like to focus on media literacy
and the benefits of learning to be consumers of media, and that the District appreciates
any support from the Cable TV franchise funds.
Commissioner Ganyo asked how the City contribution compares to the District’s overall
cable spending. Ms. Johnson said that Gerald Burt, Carolyn Charles and Peter
Redmond all had some involvement with cable, but that their time is not costed out to
specify time spent on cable, or reading or math.
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Commissioner Ganyo said that an automated playback system had already been stated as
part of the plans for the high school tv department. Ms. Johnson said she’d check with
Ms. Charles about that. She also mentioned that Ms. Charles other duties now included
working on curriculum development and graduation standards. Mr. McHugh inquired
about the Technology Plan report which resulted from the June 1996 School District
Revisioning Plan. Ms. Johnson said she would send a copy of the Technology Plan to the
city cable tv office.
At 8:00pm Ms. Johnson left and the Commission discussed funding options for the 1997-
1998 school year. There was discussion about funding a part time position to make the
media centers and the District’s video editing gear available to the public at night or on
weekends, but that suggestion met some opposition because of accountability and the
need for considerable detailed planning.
Mr. Dunlap said that in his discussion with Commissioner Browning earlier today when
he gave notice that he had to work and could not attend the Commission meeting, that he
felt the District had improved their programming in the last year and that he supported
funding for playback equipment because it benefitted the cable viewers, but not funding
curricullum.
Commissioner Boddy said that focusing on too many things might be too tough and
might make it harder to get anything done, and that she leaned toward funding the year
round staff, and the playback system.
Commissioner Huiras said that the District was doing better programming wise, but he
was concerned that the Commission is talking about a funding a playback system and the
District isn’t, and that he couldn’t support a summer tech position.
Commissioner Ganyo said the District felt strongly about a playback system last year,
when its purchase was postponed, that in general the intentions are good, but that public
access had not been fulfilled.
Commissioner Huiras moved to recommend to Council a one-time grant not exceeding
$8,000 for the School District to purchase an automated playback system so that it can be
operational in the second half of the 1997-1998 school year. The motion was seconded
by Commissioner Boddy, and passed 4-0.
Commissioner Ganyo asked if the District purchased a system for less than $8,000, could
they keep the differance? Commissioner Huiras said no, that the motion was
specifically for a playback system.
7. New Business None
8. Reports
9. Communications from the Chair None
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10. Communications from City staff Mr. McHugh said he saw a Paragon ad in the
Sailor that wasn’t mentioned in the monthly report.
11. Adjournment Moved by Commissioner Ganyo, seconded by Commissioner Boddy
to adjourn at 9:15pm, and passed 4-0.
Respectfully submitted by: