Minutes of the Thursday, November 17, 2005 Local Access Channel Advisory Committee (“LACAC”) Meeting
Members Present: Andy Dunn
Jim Parr
Ross Perry
Ed Newman
Also Present: Anne VanTine, LACAC Coordinator
Lew Halprin
Linda Hathaway, Town Clerk
The meeting was called to order at 7:30 PM at the Stow Town Building
Those present discussed the following:
An Invoice for VanTine’s services for the month of October was approved for payment.
Hathaway requested assistance with preparing Hale School auditorium & gymnasium audio and video capabilities for the upcoming December 12 special town meeting. The cafeteria will not be used as an additional overflow area. VanTine is planning to record the meeting for cablecast on Channel 9. Halprin agreed to assist with preparing the gymnasium for audio/video capabilities. Halprin noted that there is currently a wiring issue between the gymnasium and auditorium control room. He plans to investigate with Horne in an attempt to address the issue. Newman requested that the gymnasium be equipped with two microphones. Perry suggested that any funding required to address the wiring issue could be appropriated from town funds rather than LACAC funds. Hathaway left the meeting following this
discussion.
On motion by Dunn, seconded by Perry, the minutes of the September 29, 2005 meeting were approved with modifications, with three voting in favor of accepting the minutes. Parr abstained from voting on the motion.
VanTine provided the LACAC Coordinator’s Report for the months of August, September, and October. VanTine noted the following during this discussion:
1. Preparing the schedule and loading into the scheduling software continues to be a time consuming activity.
2. VanTine presented a document which defines the actions required to prepare the schedule. Perry requested that VanTine select a volunteer to follow the steps outlined to perform these activities while she observes the process.
3. Several student volunteers have served as volunteers at the October special town meeting, including Alex DeSisto, Claire LaVina and Marie DeLuca
4. Dunn and VanTine have continued to work with Kevin Long to address a sound volume issue. Recently Long returned to the LACAC studio and confirmed that some of the wiring was not properly positioned and he reinstalled the wiring. This action corrected the volume issue.
5. A two hundred dollar ($200) promotion rebate from Sony associated with the purchase of the new camera has been received and deposited into the LACAC account.
6. VanTine and Halprin indicated that the equipment used in the recording of meetings has many features and that we are continuing to learn how to use these features. As an example, recently, the character generator feature has been used to place names of individuals being recorded on the television screen. There is a learning curve associated with operating the equipment. We should not expect to have new volunteer operators operating the equipment without some level of initial training.
7. VanTine recently attended an industry tradeshow in Marlborough and identified a source for video supplies and a potential source for a video editing system.
8. Students at the Hale school under teacher Eric Menninger are using their own video equipment and have created a daily news show for the school.
9. For the past two weeks, Channel 10 in Bolton has begun to cablecast material into Stow.
10. VanTine noted receiving the latest release of the Magic Box software for the Aavelin bulletin board system. This is a $250 software upgrade that was provided without a charge as a result of VanTine’s input and assistance in providing feedback on operational issues.
VanTine’s current Agreement with the town expires at the end of November. Both VanTine and the committee expressed interest in extending the agreement. VanTine will submit a proposal for review at the next committee meeting.
VanTine presented a draft of the annual report to Comcast for the period of November 1, 2004 to October 31, 2005. Under the licensing Agreement with Comcast, the town is required to provide an annual report of the use of funds expended by the committee, by the end of each calendar year.
On motion by Newman, seconded by Dunn, that the committee accepts the annual report to Comcast, with revisions, and that VanTine forward the report to the Board of Selectman (“BoS”) for their review and comments, and with the approval of the BoS, for VanTine to sign and forward the report to Comcast, was approved, with a unanimous vote.
VanTine reported that Halprin has prepared a detailed document dated October 6, 2005 that defines the audio, video, and lighting procedures and equipment required to prepare the Hale School auditorium and gymnasium for recording and cablecast of events. VanTine used this document when preparing for the October special town meeting.
VanTine reported that one of the CD players is not performing properly, after repeated cleaning and trouble shooting. When not operating properly, there is no background music on Channel 9.
On motion by Perry to purchase a replacement CD player at up to one hundred dollars ($100), seconded by Dunn, was approved, with a unanimous vote.
VanTine reported that Kevin Long has been engaged to provide and install the Symetric 421M AGC compressor / limiter for sound that was approved at the October meeting. No firm installation date has been set. Long will also deliver the three additional microphones approved at the October meeting for the Hale Auditorium at the same time.
VanTine reported that the additional tripod, battery packs and battery chargers have been received. VanTine is currently using camera bags that were previously donated.
Halprin reported that he has not had an opportunity to install the two additional camera cables from the control room into the ceiling at the rear of the Warren Room.
Perry reported that the new table purchased for the Warren Room is on order and should be available by year end.
VanTine distributed a document as a draft of a proposed policy for responding to requests for copies of non-public meeting material cablecast on Channel 9. The committee expressed concern about the time and resources required for this service. One option available is to redirect the requestor to the producer/submitter of the material. The committee did not act on the proposed policy.
Related to this matter of copies of non-public meetings, the committee discussed developing a fee structure for copies of public meetings. The committee developed a proposed fee schedule of twenty dollars ($20) per copy for up to two hours of recorded material and fifteen dollars ($15) per copy for up to each hour of additional recorded material of the same event, plus five dollars ($5) for shipment.
The committee reviewed a document with draft language related to a proposed LACAC policy for providing a copy of public meetings to be included in “Section V Policy for Cablecast of Town Board Meetings”. The proposed policy would address making a copy available to the committee chairman and to all others requesting a copy, and correct other procedures within this section. This document included revisions proposed at the September 29th meeting. Several additional changes were proposed.
On motion by Parr to revise the Handbook, Section V “Policy for the Cablecast of Town Board Meetings” to include language describing the policy for requesting copies of public meetings, as amended, seconded by Perry, was approved with a unanimous vote.
VanTine distributed a document with questions related to volunteer liability insurance. VanTine will continue to research this topic.
The next LACAC meeting is scheduled for Thursday, January 5, 2006at 7:30 at the Stow Town Building.
On a motion by Dunn, seconded by Perry, unanimous vote, the committee adjourned at 10:02
Prepared by: _________________________________
Ed Newman
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