AGENDA CABLE COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Regular Meeting April 2, 2014 Meridian Township Municipal Building 5151 Marsh Road, Okemos, MI Administrative Conference Room A. Call Meeting to Order at 6:00 p.m. B. Public Remarks C. Introductions D. Approval of Agenda E. Approval of Minutes – February 26, 2014 F. Communications/Announcements G. Old Business 1. Audits a. Comcast Franchise Fee Audit Discussion b. AT&T Review Franchise Fee Audit Discussion c. Technical Review Audit Discussion 2. Special Committee Interim Chair’s Report: Community Needs Assessment Discussion– Tunga Kiyak H. New Business / Discussion Items 1. Resolution of Support Regarding PEG Fees I. Reports 1. Complaints/Compliments: Deborah Guthrie 2. Video Service Provider(s): 3. Communications Director Report: Deborah Guthrie 4. Chair's Report: Walter Benenson 5. Township Information: Ron Styka 6. Programming: Deborah Guthrie 7. Viewership/Promotions: Deborah Guthrie 8. Finance: Deborah Guthrie J. Other Business & Announcements K. Public Remarks L. Adjournment Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact Meridian Township by writing or calling the following: Frank Walsh, Township Manager, 5151 Marsh Road, Okemos, MI 48864-1198 (517-349-1200, Ext. 308). Ten days notice required. Cable Communications Commission Regular Meeting Minutes DRAFT Administrative Conference Room Meridian Municipal Building, Okemos, Ml February 26, 2014 Present: Commissioners: Walter Benenson, Patrick Crowley and Tunga Kiyak, Brian Seipel Staff: Deborah Guthrie and Kristi Schaeding Township: Ron Styka Com cast: John Gardner AT&T: None Haslett Schools: None Okemos Schools: None Call Meeting to Order: Chair Benenson called the meeting to order at 6:04 pm. Approval of Agenda: Chair Benenson moved TO APPROVE THE AGENDA. Seconded by Commissioner Seipel. Voice vote. Motion carried unanimously. Approval of Minutes: Chair Benenson moved TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF DECEMBER 4, 2013 AS SUBMITTED. Seconded by Commissioner Crowley. Voice vote. Motion carried unanimously. Public Remarks: No Public Present Communications: Communications Director Deborah Guthrie reported the Communications Department received many compliments for their communication efforts and press conference during the ice storm power outage in December. Old Business: 1. Audits - Director Guthrie provided the commission with a timeline of the renewal process for the Franchise Fee Audits, Technical Review Audits and Community Needs Assessment. A Video Service Franchise and the Refranchising Process at-a-glance document was also prepared and discussed. Cable Communication Commission Minutes - DRAFT February 26, 2014 Page 2 2. Special· Committee Interim Chair's Report: Community Needs Assessment - Tunga Kiyak - Commissioner Kiyak reported to the commission the present projections of the community needs assessment. He stated the scope had been narrowed to the following questions: • To create the survey ourselves or create a Request for Proposal (RFP) to have an outside company conduct the survey • The kind of survey multi-method to be used • To narrow down specific questions and find the most effective number of questions to ask Director Guthrie provided an Elements of a Community Needs Assessment document · created and shared by the Buske group which outlined the purpose and scope of work involved with a survey. Commissioner Kiyak moved TO FOCUS ON CREATING A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) AT THE NEXT SPECIAL COMMITTEE MEETING. Seconded by Commissioner Crowley. Voice vote. Motion carried unanimously. New Business: No New Business was reported. Reports: • Cable Compliments/Complaints: Director Guthrie reported that residents with Comcast complaints who she followed up with have shared that they are satisfied with the resolutions made by Comcast. • Video Service Provider(s): Comcast Representative John Gardner announced the pending merger with Time Warner Cable and stated it is a pro-competitive and pro­ consumer agreement. He specified that the merger will give satellite companies more competition they have not seen before on a national level. And Time Warner customers will receive the benefit of the X1 Platform, he commented. XFINITY TV on the X1 Platform is a new XFINITY TV product that combines a vast library of traditional TV and OnDemand programming with additional content and features. With the X1 Platform, customers can enjoy seamless access to live TV, XFINITY On Demand, DVR recordings, video clips, Pandora, weather, traffic applications and more. Gardner also showed the commission how to connect their device to the Xfinity Wifi Application and explained that Comcast had agreements with other multi video suppliers that allow other customers to utilize the different wifi spots. Director Guthrie mentioned it would be important during franchise negotiations to make sure the township has access to more wifi spots from Comcast in the township and in the municipal building. Cable Communication Commission Minutes - DRAFT February 26, 2014 Page 3 He also reported that Comcast has a peering agreement with Netflix to connect their networks directly to improve service for consumers. Gardner referred to the Comcast letter dated December 18, 2013 in the packet, regarding the completion of their digital migration and will begin encrypting all of their signals soon. This will result in the reduced need for home service calls and the enhanced security of the network by reducing service theft that impacts the customer's service experience, he stated. • · Communications Director's Report: Please refer to items in packet. No additional items to report. • Chair's Report: Chair Benenson informed the commission that he attended the Joint Meeting with the Boards and Commission members meeting and provided a report. During the joint meeting, the members were upset about AT&T representatives not attending cable commission meetings and they requested a letter be created and sent to AT&T inviting them to attend future meetings, he recounted. • Township Information: Township Liaison Ron Styka reported that the Township Board is actively working to move the process of the new fire station along. He also stated that two new large companies will make the Meridian Mall their future home. • Programming: Director Guthrie reported that she received a Comcast complaint from a Meridian resident and she followed up with him and he complimented her and stated that he is a regular viewer of the Jewels N General program she co-Hosts. • Viewership/Promotions: Please refer to items in packet. No additional items to report. • Finance: Please refer to items in packet. No additional items to report. Other Business & Announcements: Nothing to Report. Future Agenda Items: Nothing to Report. Public Remarks: No remarks from the public. Adjournment: Commissioner Crowley moved TO ADJOURN THE MEETING. Seconded by Commissioner Kiyak. Cable Communication Commission Minutes - DRAFT February 26, 2014 Page 4 Hearing no objections, Chair Benenson ADJOURNED THE MEETING AT 7:24p.m. NEXT MEETING: The next scheduled meeting is Wednesday, April 2, 2014 in the Administrative Conference Room. CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN CABLE COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION COMMUNICATIONS Deborah Guthrie From: Brian Kusch <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, February 21, 2014 9:46 PM To: Deborah Guthrie Subject: RE: question You are awesome. brian K Quoting Deborah Guthrie <[email protected]>: >Actually yes. We keep a spreadsheet here. Fancy that! > >From: Brian Kusch [mailto:[email protected]] >Sent: Friday, February 21, 2014 3:36PM >To: Deborah Guthrie >Subject: question > > Deb, is there such a thing as a Michigan listing for Public Access or > community access stations like HOM TV? I have a student who is >looking to work at a place like HOM TV, but in the Troy, Bloomfield > areas over the summer. > >Thanks > > Brian Kusch > Broadcast & Information Systems Engineer > > >Michigan State University > 141 College of Communication A1is and Sciences > 404 Wilson Road >East Lansing, MI 48824 > > [email protected]<mailto :[email protected]> >office: 517-353-7253 >cell: 517-449-9552 > > Broadcast and Information Systems Engineer College of Communication Arts & Sciences Michigan State University 141 Communication Arts Building 1 Kristi Schaeding From: Deborah Guthrie Sent: Monday, March 03, 2014 3:28 PM To: Kristi Schaeding Subject: FW: Job Opportunity - any ideas? From: Brandie Yates Sent: Thursday, February 20, 2014 2:20 PM To: Deborah Guthrie; Robert Gingerich-Janes; Darkus Beasley; Andrea Mantakounis; Lynn Meikle; Kristi Schaeding Subject: Job Opportunity - any ideas? Cynthia Thompson News Directorfrom WJMN-TV, the CBS affiliate in Marquette, Ml just called me ... apparently someone she knows talked to us at the MSU career fair and told her to get in touch. They are beginning two news shows and trying to get some people in right away. The station is looking for an Evening Anchor/Reporter to start March 17th. She is looking for someone who has 1-2 years' experience. She said she knows Kevin Ragan and heard some of our former interns go to WI LX and has the same taste as Kevin and would like to get someone who worked under him after us. Any ideas on who we should send her way? I also thought we could share this opportunity on the HOMTV Alumni FB wall and alumni email. Here is the link to the job posting: http://www.upmatters.com/story/d/story/job-opening-evening-anchor­ reporter/33139/Sg52u BFDkqiuDuNBdBIDA It looks like they have several job postings: http://www.upmatters.com/jobs Thanks, Brandie 1