Telecommunications Meeting Minutes August 1, 2011

North Liberty Telecommunications Commission
Meeting Minutes
August 1, 2011

Attendance:Joseph Wagner, Denise Schechinger, Valerie Hoffmanand Brandon Underwood

Also Present: Telecommunications Director Cheryl Caplinger andPromotion Producer Erika Harper

Absent:  Katie Colony and Production Coordinator Nick Bergus

Hoffmancalled the meeting to order at 6:00 pm.

Comments from the public.None

Mediacom Update.
Lee Grassley was absent from the meeting.  There was no update except the information provided in the packet.

South Slope Update.
Dan Swick was there to represent South Slope.  Swick said there were updating the channel lineup.  The notice to customers went out in their bills today.  Also a copy was provided for the Commission.  Swick said the reason they are looking forward towards additional content.  Currently they have 57 HD channels.  South Slope is trying to categorize all of the channels.  To switch to an HD channel you add 400 to the current channel you’re on.  Swick said that per customer request they are adding MLB channel.  Also included with the customers’ bill this month and the channel changes are common questions and answers.  Also KCRG is coming out with WeatherNow that they will be adding.  On September 7th is when customers will see the new changes regarding the channel changes.  Wagner asked about noticing a bill increase and wanted to know if it had any connection to the fiber installation.  Swick said that the programmer’s cost effected the video pricing and that was the reason for the increase.  Swick said they compete on service not cost.  Schechinger asked how is the fiber install coming along.  Swick said it has been pushed back due to the Tsunami.  But they will be finishing in North Liberty.  Other communities seeing the delay.  Caplinger asked when the South Slope franchise agreement expired.  Swick said it was 2014 and believed it was in November.

Franchise and Community Partnership Agreements Discussion
Caplinger said that both South Slope and Mediacom will go state and will no longer be on the municipal agreement.  There are pros and cons.  Caplinger said that with a CPA (Community Partnership Agreements) there are elements from the franchise that we can ask for like PEG fees.  We need to know what we can give back in return.  Wagner asked if they were no longer legally required for PEG fees.  Caplinger stated that that was correct.  Hoffman asked if they were required to carry our channel.  Swick said that our channel was already in place and only requirement was 5%.  Caplinger thought that maybe because of the HD channels that our channel would be moved.  Wagner asked Swick if that 5% still goes to the community and Swick answered yes.  Swick said that lower channel numbers have to be negotiated because everyone wants the lower channel numbers.   Wagner asked about the PEG fees being a small loss of revenue and how that would affect service or would there be a loss of services.  Caplinger said they don’t handle just the television part anymore.  Their budget is $200,000 and the PEG fees add up where the funds come from.  The cable companies still will pay fees to the Iowa Utilities Board.  Wagner asked if they are pushed back to the communities.  Caplinger said not necessarily.  Wagner said that maybe we could check out how other communities were handling it and what changes were they seeing.  Caplinger said that South Slope and Mediacom agreements were contingent on each other and that we should start making plans now because it would probably be September 2013 for both agreements with the companies.  Wagner asked if both cable companies want some sort of partnership with North Liberty.  Caplinger said yes.  Wagner asked what do we have to offer them?  Caplinger said it is a community service, they won’t stop it is just who will oversee everything.  Iowa Utilities Board may be willing to work with the communities.  Caplinger is going to talk to the City Attorney, Scott Peterson about what this means for our commission and the channel.

Commissioners’ comments.
Schechinger said that she enjoyed seeing “FaceNick” on Facebook.  Caplinger said that Nick is the keeper of our social network and they were receiving frequently asked questions and so Nick would be discussing those questions once a month.  They had 200 friends last year and this year they have 450 friends/likes on Facebook.

Telecommunications staff report.
Caplinger said they are big on social networking right now.  They are also working on using less paper.  Council Chambers will be using iPads and we are the first in the state.  Caplinger said this means less paper and less time regarding preparing the packets for meetings and delivering them.  The move to the new chambers is scheduled for August 9th, but this may change.  The new chambers will have updated technology.  Caplinger said that there will be speakers in the audience so people can hear better.  Caplinger said that the Blues & BBQ fest did not have a fantastic attendance, but it did rain until 6.  The fireworks were fantastic along with the bands and the food.  Hoffman asked if the iPads would be used by everyone.  Caplinger said yes.

Approval of April 4th, 2011 meeting minutes.
Wagnermoved to approve the minutes from April, Schechinger seconded.  Motion passed with all in favor.

Determine Next Possible Meeting Date.
The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, November 7th, 2011.

Schechingermoved, seconded by Wagnerto adjourn the meeting at 6:28 pm.  Motion passed with all in favor.

Respectfully submitted,
Denise Schechinger, Secretary