HCMI Board Meeting February 13, 2019

Meeting minutes of Holyoke Media – Feb. 13, 2019

Present:

• Scott MacPherson, ED
• Mike Hines
• Jennifer Myszkowski
• Denis Luzuriaga

 

Not present:

• Carey Baker
• Al Williams 
• Ali Pinschmidt

 

Call to order:  6:51 p.m.

 

Minutes:

• Motion to accept minutes from January: Denis
• 2nd: Mike
• Vote: Unanimous

 

Directors report:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_sv8Qb_nitFxeFXh4vSXX-XnL7a3TWMg/view?usp=sharing 

• P&L:
  https://drive.google.com/open?id=16i-V5lS7rH8YeTBTVB8lMhX9O6ZhY2Bb 
• Balance sheet:
  https://drive.google.com/open?id=1OnE7qmKYdlJsymBCKHe-jajj07R-hnpk 

 

Arts Hub Grant

• Considering partners for this.
  • Itabix, a social-media platform, is a potential partner. Web development company.
  • WMEDC wants to be fiscal sponsor and have input in how it rolls out.
    • We want to be the fiscal sponsor of the grant. We are leveraging staffing, insurance, etc.
    • We will have competing proposals.
• There will be a JD for a full-time coordinator for this project.
  • We’re funding a scheduling coordinator. This grant would fund half of the position.
  • Anticipate hiring by July, pending us getting the big grant.
    • Will focus on outreach.
• There will be an advisory committee formed.

 

Department of Local Services

• Scott talked with DTC. They gave Scott copy of guidance that’s been issued stating that the funds from cable franchises are for cable-related purposes only.
  • Scott talked with the lawyer from DLS who said it should flow through the municipality:
    • Option 1: Put PEG access fees in an enterprise fund
    • Option 2: Put PEG access fees in a receipt fund
    • Option 3: Put PEG access fees in the general fund
    • If they don’t choose Option 1 or 2, then it reverts to the general fundOption 3.
    • Other options: Revolving fund? Special revenue fund?
• There is no clarity to this policy. Scott suggests that we need to wait to see what happens to the FCC with small cell and how fees are collected (i.e., what is an in-kind contributionconribute?).
  • Who controls? State or Fed?
  • We could sue?
• Issues: How are PEG franchise fees categorizedAre cable fees tax money? How do municipalities handle that money?
  • 1st amendment issues?
  • Scott talked to Bill Neumann about this a bit.
  • Cable Act specifies how funds are to be used for PEG Accesssays clearly that this isn’t tax money
    • It hasn’t been revised since 1994.
  • Possibility of legal suit is multifold:
    • Federal level – we could join but not lead.
    • State level – we could get a group of larger stations to challenge together.
    • Most likely: If $$ go to general fund, we have an sue the city based on our MOU with the City that dictates the funding that comes to us.
• Cable companies may start charging PEG stations per channel.
  • Al heard on a call that some could charge as much as $60K per channel.
  • We have a right to refuse a channel.
  • Scott hasn’t lit up channel 23 as a result of this.
  • The broadcast of government meetings is a critical function, but it can be regionalized.
• $$ we have in the bank cannot revert back to the city.
• We have to sort this out with the city (auditor and mayor, then the City Council) by next fiscal year (June).
• More to come. Scott will have a recommendation by next meeting.

 

Meeting Coverage Policy

• A councilor complained of signal interruption.
  • Believes that signal was interrupted on purpose, suggests that it was hacked.
  • Scott explained that it wasn’t connected to internet and hacking was impossible.
• After Board approves policy, Scott will share with City Council for their feedback and we’ll have a final approval.
  • Motion to approve sharing the policy with City Council: Jennifer
  • 2nd: Denis
  • Vote: Unanimous

Budget

• Motion to approve the budget: Denis
• 2nd: Mike
• Vote: Unanimous

 

Mission Statement

• In conversation, we provided feedback to Scott and suggestions for edits to the mission statement.
• Scott will provide updated version by email. Board members should provide any further feedback to Scott directly.
• Scott will share the draft with the grant writer, who has experience with mission statements.

 

Meeting with the Mayor

• Scott will reach out to mayor to get dates.

 

Personnel

• Director of Media Engagement starting in March.

 

Next meetings:

• Wed., March 13 at 6 p.m. at 295 High Street
  • Agenda:
    • Scott to deliver recommendation re: Department of Local Services issues.
    • Membership timeline – When will we start recruiting members?
    • Update on building progress
• Wed., April 10 at 6 p.m.

 

Motion to adjourn at  p.m.

• Motion: Mike
• 2nd: Denis
• Vote: Unanimous