Old Lyme Area Cable Advisory Council Minutes
January 24, 2018
Old Lyme Public Access Studio, Halls Road, Old Lyme
Present: Chair Peter Sielman (Salem), Pam Munro (Salem BOE), Brian Bowes (Lyme), Cathy Frank (Old Lyme), Russ Gomes (Old Lyme; State Advisory Council rep); Public Access Coordinator Lynn Perry;
Absent: Michael Gilroy (East Haddam, Public Libraries rep), Comcast Government & Regulatory Affairs Manager Matt Skane
Call to Order~
Chair Peter Sielman called the meeting to order at 7:25pm. He said he had reached out to the First Selectman in East Haddam about appointing representatives to the Council.
Approval of Minutes
A motion was made by Pam Munro, seconded by Russ Gomes, to approve the minutes of the October 2017 meeting. Motion passed.
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Treasurer’s Report
Treasurer Brian Bowes reported a combined balance of $13,045.42 in the checking and money market accounts. Chair Peter Sielman gave Brian a check from Comcast for $2,000 to be deposited.
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New Business
Statewide Video Council Report
Russ Gomes distributed a recent Agenda, Minutes, and Financial Statement from the Statewide Council. Members asked for clarification on the Council’s funding sources.
He also distributed a press release from the Statewide Council stating that members had voted at their 12/13/17 annual meeting to “support and uphold the current law on net neutrality,” thus taking a stand against the recent FCC decision to repeal the 2015 regulations.
Russ referenced an editorial from a January 2018 edition of The Day which speaks to the net neutrality issue.
Comcast Report
Matt Skane was not present to provide a Comcast update.
Public Access Report
Lynn Perry~said the Old Lyme studio now has two digital editing systems.
The interviews with 2017 scholarship awardees recorded at the studio in early summer are now available via Public Access on Demand: www.publicaccessstudios.com ; Choose Old Lyme; choose Video on Demand.
The Lymes’ Senior Center programs will be the next ones uploaded to Public Access Videos on Demand. Lynn demonstrated the Public Access website at the end of the meeting.
Possible Donation to Towns for Basic Cable Assistance
Cathy was approached by Old Lyme’s Social Services Coordinator, asking if the Council would consider short-term financial support for residents’ basic cable cost(s).
Council members discussed the problems of administering that kind of support, and agreed to continue discussing the possibility of emergency assistance for residents in our council towns. Peter asked Cathy to raise the topic with Matt: perhaps there is a Comcast program that applies to emergency requests.
Advisory Council Grants to Historical Societies
Cathy suggested that historical societies might be the next community organizations to apply for Council grants to provide public access equipment.
Old Business
Salem Historical Society videos
Pam Munro has continued to try and obtain existing videos of visits to old farms in Salem that could be converted and aired on public access.
Peter suggested she draft a letter that could come from the Council to the Salem Historical Society, explaining the Council’s desire to help preserve and promote the videos.
Advisory Council Grant to Lymes’ Senior Center (included in Public Access report)
Advisory Council Grant to OLPGN Library (Nothing new to report)
2018 Scholarship applications & scholarship committee
Pam Munro reported that 2018 scholarship applications are in the hands of guidance offices at the four Council high schools.
She recently heard from 2017 recipient Hannah Belleville, who expressed interested in applying for a 2018 scholarship. Pam provided her with the application form.
We will contact the 2017 awardees and provide the link to their interviews via Public Access on Demand.
Cathy will also include the link in a press release about the 2018 applications.
Members agreed that we should record interviews with the 2018 awardees.
Other
None
Public Comment
None
Adjournment
A motion was made by Cathy Frank to adjourn at 8:20pm
Catherine Frank 1/26/18
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