HCTV BOARD MEETING
20 EAST CHURCH STREET MEETING ROOM
HARDWICK, VERMONT OCTOBER 26, 2017
Attending:
Rachel Kane, Chair
Wiz Dow, Vice Chair
Kurt Bos, Treasurer
Robin Grant, recording secretary
Leif Goldberg, Executive Director (non-voting)
Called to order at 7PM by Rachel Kane
Motion:
Wiz moves to approve the minutes of the previous meeting, Kurt seconds. No discussion (other than a a few typos)
Minutes accepted unanimously.
Meredith Holch arrives at 7:02PM
Motion:
Robin moves to accept the balance sheet, Kurt seconds. Discussion ensues regarding auditing and auditors. Balance sheet accepted unanimously.
[7:12pm]
Profit/Loss is handed out.
Quickbooks needs to be updated.
Motion:
Wiz moves to accept Profit/Loss, Kurt seconds.
Discussion on fundraising balance and town appropriation. Meredith asks Leif to look into the records going back to 2012 to make sure that one of the town’s $3000 appropriations were not missed.
Profit/Loss accepted unanimously.
[7:22pm]
Station Report:
Leif reports that the station is cruising along, Employees John and Elizabeth are on tasks. It’s been fairly minimal the last few months. Have done 8 soccer games, with Lance doing the announcing. Leif wants to get Lance a git certificate.
Covering some other things as requested, the Historical Society. Wiz is pleased with the week turnaround time to get it on air. Wiz will include it in the Historical Society announcement asking their members to go online and stream it. Leif reports that the health care event at Hazen has a lot of hits. Chip Troiano held an event and Emmet was assigned to record it. Leif did a recording at the Highland Arts, Vermont Arts Council asked HCTV to record that. Wiz asks if that can be sent out state wide [brief discussion
Hardwick Community Television Board Meeting 10/26/2017 Page 1 of 1
about statewide sharing system].
Rachel asks about Elizabeth’s hours. Elizabeth had been getting workers comp from a previous employer, but that has been resolved and she is on here with the usual fluctuating hours. John is doing the two Select Board meetings and that’s about it.
Leif has been working on setting up a new video mixer, mainly for select board, because the last MiniDV deck has finally died. The last few select boards have been one-camera only. Leif has bought a MacBookPro and some video cards and a demo version of a mixer called Wirecast (UStream is a stripped down version of Wirecast). It allows versatility, such as burn-in graphics, and more cameras. It can send to the live feed, the Final Cut computer AND send it to Ustream. One trick is that Wirecast isn’t sending 640×480 to the live feed, but Leif is working in that.
Rachael asks about our agreement with Comcast, and Leif reports that they are in suit with the Vermont Public Service Board, and a big part of that suit has to do with PEG Access. Lauren Glenn Davidian is doing a show next week to educate the people. Meredith reports that this year, nationwide cable TV subscriptions have fallen for the first time this year. Leif received a letter from Comcast about our contract being up in February, but they said that nothing will change until that lawsuit is reconciled. The existing terms of the contract will remain in effect during that time.
[Discussion ensues about how HCTV would exist without Comcast]
[8pm]
Met with Wiz and Rachel about the bylaws. This led to a discussion about policies. There were some good ideas coming out of that. Wiz and Rachel will look at meeting amongst themselves to work on the policies and bylaws. Rachel says that most of the items she has are simple clarifications. Rachel notes that both Conflict of Interest and Conflict and Resolution policies must me written up. Leif will email them a word document.
Leif suggests moving the annual meeting to January or April, and having our budget presented in October. Leif points out that summer is a difficult time to get people to attend meetings. Meredith and Wiz say the annual meeting would be best in late March or early April. [Discussion]
New Business:
Rachel says we would do well to look into recording Craftsbury and Greensboro’s town government meetings. Woodbury was appropriating about $750 a year, and it costs approximately $1200 to record their meetings for a year. [Discussion about adding HCTV directly to town budget rather then appropriation at town meeting]. The board asks Leif to approach the towns of Hardwick and Woodbury to negotiate moving HCTV’s regular appropriations into the respective town’s budgets.
[8:25pm]
To add in overhead, we are saying it’s $20/hour, assuming a 3 hours meeting, plus 30 minutes on each end for setup and breakdown, plus one hour of editing, that’s 5 hours per meeting, which comes to $100 each meeting.
Leif reports that Emily would like to make a video about Armand, who runs the boxing rink in the basement of Hardwick Inn.
Meeting is adjourned at 8:36pm
Hardwick Community Television Board Meeting 10/26/2017 Page 2 of 2
Hardwick Community Television – Regular Meeting Minutes – July 27, 2017
————–
HCTV Board Members Present: Rachel Kane, Kurt Bos, Meredith Holch, Wiz Dow, Emily Lanxner
HCTV Staff: Leif Goldberg, Elizabeth Rossano
————–
*Meeting called to order at 8:40 PM
*Minutes from April 2017 approved by Emily Lanxner, 2nd by Kurt Bos
Balance Sheet and Profit & Loss
*Meredith questions extra revenue since last year, LG: capital spending down, revenues up slightly, Extra category made in 2017 budget for carryover revenues into Capital Expenses
*Motion to accept financial reports, MH 2nds motion, unanomous approval
Station Update by Leif
*Discussion about quorum for annual meeting: propose to change the requirement for number of public and members in attendance at Annual Meeting, and change the number of board members form 7 to 5, Wiz Dow proposes to give the bylaws a “haircut”, Rachel and Wiz will meet with Leif to make suggested revisions to bylaws for next meeting
*Bank stuff: LG moved onto the bank account with Kurt and Dave Mitchell, separate checking and savings accts, Wiz Dow suggests looking into online banking, such as Ally Bank for increased interest on savings, LG will research, further discussion next meeting, quickbooks and banking has been improved overall
*Sap Bucket development, Meredith: push to incorporate into Hazen athletics, to make it a goal for athletes to be recognized here, Front Porch Forum posts about it, Board needs to contribute to keep it going
*Discussion of staff hours, some changing schedules for the Fall
Comcast Contract
*Contract renewal set for February 2018, bring in Greg Elper-wood for fall meeting, what do we ask for from Comcast, LG proposes line extension to Greensboro, KB: live feed at theater, get Greensboro select board members and residents involved, MH: ask VAN if this is even possible before getting people involved, LG will talk to Greg and put together a list of items for contract proposal
* Meeting adjourned at 9:12 PM
Hardwick Community Television – Annual Meeting Minutes – July 27, 2017
————–
HCTV Board Members Present: Rachel Kane, Kurt Bos, Meredith Holch, Wiz Dow, Emily Lanxner
HCTV Staff: Leif Goldberg, Jon Pepe, Elizabeth Rossano
Community Members: Griffin Lussier, Tracy Walters
————–
*Meeting called to order at 7:57pm
*Minutes from 2016 Annual Mtg. approved by Emily Lanxner, 2nd by Wiz Dow
Station Report for annual meeting by Leif
*Hazen students progam is in motion, w/ goal to foster increased creativity and initiative, possibly a regular show- Hazen monthly report/newsletter. Create a structure for students (and teachers) to engage. Gave Sean McIntyre’s journalism class a tour of the station- further teacher/station involvement. Act 77 is pushing this relationship forward
*possible Sterling College outreach, more regular connection through Stand-Up with Rachel Stevens?
*Vid-Kids program: 1st Friday screening was well-attended, sept. 6 deadline for same VT Comm. Fund Grant, Rip is interested in continuing collaboration, possibly tour of NEK public libraries with kids program
*E-mail newsletter is being sent out when there’s news for our station, about 150 presently on list serve
Election of Officers
*Meredith Holch makes motion to nominate Rachel Kane, Kurt Bos and Emily Lanxner to the board for two-year terms, Tracy Walters 2nds, unanimous approval
*Meredith Holch intends to step down from the board at Oct. 2017 meeting
*Meredith Holch makes motion for Rachel Kane and Kurt Bos to continue as Chair and Treasurer, respectively, Emily Lanxer 2nds, unanimous approval
Community Comment
*Griffin likes the Sap Bucket, needs more involvement, Front Porch Forum posts?
*Public Meeting adjourned at 8:35 PM
7:00. Call meeting to order/ approve last meeting’s minutes
• ● Members present: Meredith H, Kurt B, Emily L., Rachel K. , Robin G., Leif G, Dave M, Elizabeth R (guest/HCTV employee)
• ● Motion to approve minutes from 1/11/17‐‐approved unanimously
Approve Profit & Loss and Balance Sheet
Profit & Loss
o ● Last year’s Hardwick appropriations do not show up in P&L or Balance sheet
o ● Appropriation $ don’t show until July‐November
o ● Grant funding of independent contractors $1500
o ● Special event $ = food for workshop participants
o ● Workmens compensation has gone down, LG paid it earlier than usual
o ● Motion to approve P&L‐‐approved unanimously
Balance Sheet
• ● Expenses down, revenue up = $13000 increase
• ● Motion to approve Balance sheet‐‐approved unanimously
•
Station Report
o ● Has been a busy quarter
o ● 25 basketball games plus playoffs and alumni games
o ● Lance Hall has been great
• ○ LG gave him a $75 gc to House of Pizza
• ○ Should we consider paying him?
o ● Considering baseball/so ball games
o ● A little harder to find sponsors for baseball/so ball
o ● Music events?
o ● Spring concerts at Hazen?
o ● VT congressional town hall mtg via VTPBS went well
o ● Two Hazen students have been coming down regularly
• ○ LG is working with them
• ○ Taped stand‐up presentation at Hazen, they did well
○ students taped Michael Bielawski interviews, will edit
• ● Vid‐kids workshop went well, not a lot of kids
o ○ Will produce video
o ○ Will show this summer during First Friday
• ● Bank issue…
o ○ LG has to use debit card but Kurt B’s name is on the card
o ○ Difficult to use bank card to purchase supplies
o ○ LG talked to Merchant’s bank, things should be made easier
o ○ Should we set up a separate account for supply expenditures
o ○ New account up to $2000?
o ○ pre‐loaded credit card?
o ○ Move all funds to a savings account or CD and put $2000 in checking account?
o ○ LG and KB will go to bank and see what method might work best and make necessary changes to allow LG to make purchases — report back next mtg or sooner
o
o
Comcast Contract Renewal 2018
• ● Our contract is up for renewal in Feb ‘18
• ● Greg E of VAN suggests that we hire him to come speak with us about how
we should go about this process
o ○ We should brainstorm ideas of what we would like to get from Comcast
o ○ Not too early to think about this except CPG has not been awarded yet and nothing can happen un later this has happened
o ○ MH says Greg is very knowledgeable and we should hire him
o ○ LG, should we form a sub‐commitee to brainstorm ideas for our wishlist?
o ○ Could we invite outsiders in to brainstorm?
o ○ Sub‐commitee should meet before our annual meeting
HCTV Staff and Board discussion
• ● New staff member, Elizabeth Rossano
• ● We have been very busy with meeting/events/interviews, etc., would be
nice to have her cover other meetings/events possibly using some of Jon P’s hours
• ● Morning office hours?
• ● Hopefully 10 hours per week for ER
• ● May need to re‐evaluate to up her hours…
● Board members may need re‐electing in July
Other business
• ● EL‐‐involved in multiple events, many opportunities for filming
○ Pollinators
○ Bats
• ● MH‐‐Forum for a Greater Hardwick, we should record this, May 17
Adjourn 8:43
Next meeting for 4th Thursday in July
Respectfully submitted,
David Mitchell
Secretary
Hardwick Community Television
