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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002/12/05 - ADMIN - Minutes - Community Technology Advisory Commission - RegularUNOFFICIAL MINUTES ST. LOUIS PARK TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION MEETING OF DECEMBER 5, 2002 at 7:00 p.m. ST. LOUIS PARK CITY HALL, WESTWOOD ROOM MEMBERS PRESENT: Bruce Browning, Dale Hartman, Ken Huiras, Bob Jacobson, Mary Jean Overend, and Rolf Peterson Rick Dworsky arrived at 8:52 p.m. STAFF PRESENT: Reg Dunlap, Civic TV Coordinator and John McHugh, Community TV Coordinator OTHERS PRESENT: Arlen Mattern, Time Warner Cable Public Affairs Administrator; Lance Leupold, Time Warner Cable Director of Public Affairs; LuAnna Fogarty, Time Warner Cable Service Manager; and Linda Samson, Recording Secretary 1. Call to Order Chair Hartman called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. 2. Roll Call Present at roll call were Commissioners Bruce Browning, Dale Hartman, Ken Huiras, Bob Jacobson, Mary Jean Overend, and Rolf Peterson; City Staff Reg Dunlap and John McHugh; and Recording Secretary Linda Samson. 3. Approval of Minutes for October 17, 2002 It was moved by Commissioner Huiras, seconded by Commissioner Browning, to approve the minutes. The motion passed 6-0. 4. Adoption of Agenda It was moved by Commissioner Jacobson, seconded by Commissioner Huiras, to approved the agenda. The motion passed 6-0. 5. Old Business 5A Time Warner Customer Service Update Time Warner Cable Customer Service Manager LuAnna Fogarty provided a customer service update. Ms. Fogarty said Time Warner has implemented a program called Quality Approach, which includes a mystery caller segment and customer service representative training. Customer service representatives are divided into three groups: sales, billing, and technical calls. Ms. Fogarty reported that there are two individuals on the quality assurance team who provide coaching to the customer service representatives. Recent revisions to billing statements make them easier to read. 5B Update: Auditing Time Warner Cable Franchise Fees Reg Dunlap reported that Scott Lewis’s report will be completed by the end of 2002. Mr. Dunlap said most of the 1,000 addresses absent from Time Warner’s list but present on the City’s address list have been identified as commercial, school or railroad addresses that are irrelevant for cable service purposes. 5C Update: Channel 6 Deletion for Security Camera Use Lance Leupold, Time Warner Cable Director of Public Affairs, briefly reviewed the channel 6 issue, i.e., the elimination of channel 6 in exchange for security camera use in several St. Louis Park apartment buildings. Mr. Leupold said Time Warner’s attorney will contact the City’s attorney. John McHugh said staff requested a written legal opinion from the City attorney. Mr. McHugh read a portion of attorney Joel Jamnik’s e-mail response dated December 3, 2002: Earlier last week I received a phone call from Gary Matz (legal counsel for AOL/TW) regarding our concerns about the use of Channel 6 by some of the City’s multiple dwelling units for security camera coverage. He quite subtly explored whether we would consider looking the other way on their existing customers. I indicated that while this probably isn’t the biggest concern or issue facing the City, that the statute doesn’t provide us much flexibility, and that we would continue to encourage them to get into compliance. I basically told him that I couldn’t recommend that we ignore the law. While that wasn’t what he was looking for, I think he was somewhat satisfied that I was not going to recommend that we declare a default/material breech of the franchise agreement and seek to seize their letter of credit. Mr. McHugh said when he received the City attorney’s opinion, he sent a letter to Time Warner asking that prior to tonight’s Telecommunications Commission meeting, Time Warner submit a written legal opinion to explain how they think their activities in regard to this matter are in compliance with State law. Mr. McHugh suggested Time Warner submit, within 30 days, a 90-day plan to cure this situation at no cost to St. Louis Park subscribers or submit a written, binding opinion that no such breech exists and the matter would then be referred to the City Council. It was requested by Commissioner Dworsky that Time Warner Cable submit a written proposal to John McHugh by January 10, 2003 to solve the channel 6 controversy, and Mr. McHugh will send the proposal to the City Attorney. 5D Update: AOL Time Warner Restructuring Mr. Dunlap reported the City Council approved a resolution regarding the AOL Time Warner restructuring. 5E Bylaws Amendments It was moved by Commissioner Jacobson, seconded by Commissioner Browning, to accept the bylaws as presented with the City Attorney’s change. The motion passed 7-0. The City Attorney’s recommendation is to delete the entire sentence regarding secret ballots, i.e., delete Election may be held by secret ballot (see Article IV, Section 3, Election of Officers). 5F FCC Forms 1205 and 1240 and Hiring Consultant to Review Mr. Dunlap reported rental for converter boxes has increased $1, to $6.65 per month. In their packets, Commissioners received an informational sheet regarding this item. It was moved by Commissioner Jacobson, seconded by Commissioner Browning, to have staff gather information on rates in other cities and report back to the Commission by October 1, 2003. The motion passed 7-0. 5G Staff Draft Grant Proposal This item was deferred to the next meeting. 6. New Business 6A Time Warner Cable New Rates and Changes in Channel Line-ups Mr. Dunlap reported that Disney will be available on the standard tier and distributed a summary of changes that will be adapted into a Council report. 6B Set Meeting Schedule for 2003 The Telecommunications Commission’s meeting schedule for 2003 follows. The annual joint meeting at a Council Study Session has yet to be scheduled with the City Manager’s office. Thursday, January 23, 2003 Thursday, May 8, 2003 Thursday, August 14, 2003 Thursday, October 9, 2003 Thursday, December 4, 2003 6C Brainstorm work plan for 2003 To be discussed at the January 23, 2003 meeting. Commissioner Dworsky said that one work plan item should be an update on the Richochet wireless service that was installed in St. Louis Park but then went bankrupt. 7. Reports Commissioner Huiras requested the Time Warner survey results. 8. Communications from the Chair: None 9. Communications from City Staff: None 10. Adjournment It was moved by Commissioner Jacobson, seconded by Commissioner Browning, to adjourn the meeting at 9:30 p.m. The motion passed 7-0. Minutes prepared by: Respectfully submitted by: Linda Samson Reg Dunlap Recording Secretary Civic TV Coordinator