HCTV Board Meeting
Hardwick Memorial Building
Jan. 8, 2014
Called to order by Vice President John Klee at 6:05 PM
Present: John Klee, Jon Lussier, Dave Mitchell, Rachel Kane, Board Members; Leif Goldberg
(Executive Director), Robin Grant (Technical Director).
Members read the minutes of the October 30, 2013 silently to themselves.
Jon moves to accept the minutes as presented, Rachel seconds.
Vote unanimous.
Kurt Bos arrives 6:08 PM.
Leif has an agenda:
Report from the Staff
Petition for appropriation from Hardwick
Election of President of the Board
Decide on the fundraiser
Budget 2014
Staff Report: Begun Basketball programming.  Getting some sponsors. Planning on doing every
home game, as has been our regular plan.  Sponsors are slow to get started, with the schedule and
holiday break.  $50 per slot, two slots per game, $40 each if someone buys 4 or more, there are ten
slots left.
Still haven’t received the town appropriation money from last year, so that’s not in the profit/loss
standard. Jon says this clearly throws our numbers off for the budget, but if you factor them in, we do
look close to last year.  Lief says we seem to be getting more from Comcast every year.
Kurt says he sees some issues with our signal.  Jon says it’s clear on his, colors are fantastic.
6:20PM
Bought a new camera out of our capital fund. This new camera is HD compatible, as well as still
shooting in the Standard Definition Digital Video format we used from the start. We have a three year
plan to set aside $3000 each year from our budget. Lief and Robin explain some of the issues that
we’ve been having with the new camera.
Training session this week, there hasn’t been one for a while and people have been clamoring for it.
Dave asks if we could afford a new hard drive recorder. Robin says they are going extinct and are still
very expensive. Rachel suggests asking other stations if they might have one they don’t use
anymore.
6:32 PM
Nancy Kellogg arrives
Petition update.
Lief asked about the petition procedure from the townspeople, we need to get up to 125 to make sure
that we get the minimum needed (is it 105?). Rachel wants to know if the amount can be reduced
back to $2500 at the town meeting. Jon says that there are numerous ways to do that procedurally,
but we would risk getting voted down and passed over, and getting nothing.
Jon says he was against the increase of $500 for the appropriation. The first thing we’ll hear is that
not everyone gets Comcast.  Nancy says that the important videos are online and someone that
doesn’t have internet can go to the library. Lief and Robin explains that the justification for the
increase is that we are doing more online videos that are available to the non-cable customers.
Motion:
Dave moves to reduce the request from the town back down to $2500, Jon seconds.
Rachel is not sure, and points out that this locks us in for three years at this rate.  Robin says that an
increase can be submitted by petition, and Lief says that would really stand out.  Nancy argues in
favor of the increase. Kurt asks if the appropriation could be increased at the Town Meeting, and Jon
say that anything is possible at Town Meeting.
Lief has a couple of pages of signatures on the table already and Patti Coultas has a full one and has
started another.   Rachel is more convinced to go ahead with the current wording.  Dave doesn’t want
to get shot down for $3000, but he is not against asking for the money.
Dave withdraws the motion.
Motion:
Nancy moves to approve the current petition request of $3000, Kurt seconds.
No further discussion.
3 votes aye, Jon votes no.
Motion passes.
Election of President
Jon asks if anyone here would like to do it? Rachel says she’d be more comfortable next year, but
this is her first meeting and she doesn’t know enough yet.  Nancy says she’s do it the year after that.
Motion:
Jon moves to nominate Monty Shatney for President, should he accept it, Dave seconds.
Motion tabled until next meeting (April).
7PM
Fundraiser:
For the last two years, we have sold 200 tickets for $20; while the first year was great, last year we
sold only a little over half.  Lief went to The Store Formerly Known As Hall’s Market looking for
sponsors and hasn’t met the new owners, but a manager told him that they are not interested in
sponsoring anything.  Jon says that the first year we offered a choice of three places to purchase
from, and last year we had several smaller prizes with local businesses and that list would change
from year to year. Jon now thinks that the five $50 prizes seem to cut into the raffle and confuse
things.  We had Charlie Smith, who’s 95 or so, draw the ticket.  There were people here and we
broadcast it live.  And there was a contribution of the food shelves, which perceived as a selling point
by the public.
The goal is that we make some money and we put some back in to the community.  Rachel says that
it is a noble goal, but we were short by half last year; we made several hundred dollars last year.  Kurt
suggests not giving out the lesser prizes. Rachel says $1000 is a lot and $500 would be plenty.  Kurt
is dismayed by the lackluster sales last year. Jon sold almost half of the tickets last year, he had no
trouble selling tickets. Rachel wonders if the ticket price is too high. Jon says that is the reason for the
limited number of tickets.
Rachel asks about adjusting the amount that we hand out.  Lief asks how it would be to give a
percentage to the foodshelves, rather than a hard number.  We gave $250 to each food shelf for the
last two years.  Dave suggests that we give 5% of the winnings to each foodshelf (10% of the total).
7:15PM
Jon suggests drawing the raffle at Atkins Field at Spring Festival. Rachel says that we start selling
them at Town Meeting.
[Discussion continues regarding price and number of tickets.]
7:30PM
Motion:
Jon moves to offer 250 tickets at $10 each, with $500 of groceries as grand prize, $100 cash second
prize, and 5% each to the Hardwick and Woodbury food shelves, Rachel seconds.
This would net us $1650, minus expenses.  Lief suggests 3 $50 gift certificates instead of one $100
second prize.  Rachel agrees, that is more happy people. Jon says that last year we also put the
lesser prize winner’s ticket back in for the Grand Prize.
Amendment to the motion:
Jon amends his motion: 250 tickets at $10 each, with $500 of groceries as grand prize, three $50
cash prizes, and 5% each to the Hardwick and Woodbury food shelves. Drawing to be held at Atkins
Field on Memorial Day with tickets going on sale by Town Meeting Day.
Vote unanimous.
7:35PM
Dave leaves.
Budget:
Lief presents a 2014 proposed budget.
There are a few small questions and no objections.
We will save several hundred dollars on tape stock.
Jon is pleased with the variety of programming and the quality of it.
Motion:
Jon moves to pass the budget as presented, Kurt seconds.
No further discussion.
Vote unanimous.
Petition redux:
Lief says we are going after 125 signatures.  At this date we have about 80 already.
Rachel says that we can always get more signatures, it gets us more awareness in the community.
Rachel asks Lief to write up a brief statement to support our increase appropriation.
Lief says to get the petitions back to him by the end of next week.

Rachel moves to adjourn, Nancy seconds.
There being no discussion.
The vote is unanimous.
Meeting adjourned at 7:50 PM.

HCTV Board Meeting
Hardwick Town Hall
October 30, 2013

The meeting was called to order at 6:39 PM by Steven Freihofner.

Present were: Kurt Bos, David Mitchell, John Klee, Nancy Kellog, Rachel Kane (7:50), Steven Freihofner, Board Members;  Leif Goldberg (Executive Director); Monty Shatney.

The Board reviewed the minutes of the annual meeting held on July 24, 2013.
– Dave Mitchell moved to add the date of the annual meeting to the annual meeting minutes as it was omitted.  John Klee seconded. Passed unanimously.
– Kurt Bos moved to accept annual meeting minutes as amended. John Klee seconded.  Passed unanimously.

Profit and Loss, and, Balance Sheet Standard statements dated October 28, 2013, were distributed.  Leif went over them, explained the financial state of affairs to the Board.  Financial condition of HCTV quite improved over that four or five years ago, when HCTV was exploring merger with Lamoille County PEG, at Comcast suggestion.

Programming.  Internet presence on various platforms discussed as a way to make available HCTV programming to non-cable subscribers.  For example, in addition to existing web platforms on which some HCTV programming (i.e., basketball) is available, an HCTV web site through which much more programming could be accessed would be long term goal; and other links through interested organizations, i.e., creating a link to Woodbury Selectboard meetings on a Woodbury Town website.

Raffle/fundraising.  Leif will connect with Jon Lussier to get his views on another HCTV raffle.  Last year’s proceeds were not as good as the year before, possibly because of later start.  But reception to raffle by Town just as good.  Some ideas for consideration included: keep ticket numbers limited, but reduce amount of premium from $1000 to $500; winner of raffle could collect by filling up shopping cart with goods in a limited period of time, which may be recorded and presented on HCTV.

Steve Freihofner advised that as he is no longer on the Woodbury Selectboard, and his HCTV’s director position is that designated for the Board’s government representative, he must step down and be replaced by a current government representative.  John Klee asked for nominations to fill slot vacated by Steven.  Kurt Bos nominated Monty Shatney, presently on the Woodbury Selectboard. Nancy Kellog seconded.  There were no further nominations.  Monty Shatney was unanimously elected to the fill the government representative/director slot on the HCTV Board, for the rest of the current term, until July, 2014.

Technical.  Kurt Bos noted that the quality of the transmission over cable was quite poor and should be addressed.  Some cameras are out for repair, but have not come back yet.  Discussion of camera replacement strategy: technology is about to change, should new camera be compatible with technology on the horizon, current tech, or combination?  Decision best made closer to time when new camera needs to be purchased.

Kurt Bos moved to adjourn at 8:20 PM, Nancy Kellogg seconded, passed unanimously.

Minutes recorded by Steven Freihofner.

HCTV Annual Meeting 2013

Present, Board members:
Steven Freihofner, President
Jon Lussier, Vice President
David Mitchell, Secretary
Kurt Bos, Treasurer
John Klee, Member At Large

Employees:
Leif Goldberg
Robin Grant

Also attending:
Nora Doyel-Burr, Hardwick Gazette

8 Members being present, the meeting is called to order at 6:35 PM by President Steven Freihofner.

Election of Officers:
The officers whose terms are ending: Kurt Bos, John Klee and Jon Lussier are ending their second term at this meeting.

Jon says that there are a couple people interested in being on the board and he proposes to step down as official board member to be replaced by someone new, but that he’d still come to meetings and support the station. He’d like to be involved in fundraising.  Jon made it clear that he is still willing to serve on the board. John Klee says he feels the same

David asks about term limits and Lief says there are NO term limits in the most recent revision of bylaws he had found.

John Klee says he feels the same as Jon regarding serving on the board.

Steven says that we changed the numbers of directors at, he believes, the 2010 meeting, from 7 to 5.  Jon says we did that to make it easier to get a quorum.

Steven asks the board about re-expanding. Leif points out that none of the new members meet the requirements for Education of Government. David Mitchell meets the requirement for education, but Steven is no longer the Government rep since he has left the Woodbury Select Board.

Kurt asks about the quorum requirements.  Steven says the quorum for the HCTV Annual Meeting has to be seven “Members”, which is anyone from our service territory.  Steven says he doesn’t recall any reduction of quorum numbers for regular board meeting.  Kurt says he likes having ‘fresh meat.’  David says, the more the merrier.  Jon likes having new perspectives.

Steven says this seems a good time to increase the board numbers.

Robin asks if there was a requirement in the bylaws for board members to be present in order to be elected.  Leif says there is not.  Steven says that he missed one Town Meeting and was elected to three different positions, so he doesn’t believe there is a state-wide requirement.

Nancy Kellogg arrives at 6:52 PM

Motion to amend the bylaws:
David moves to increase the board of directors from 5 to 7 members.
Kurt seconds.
Vote is unanimous.

Steven says there are three terms up and two more positions to fill now. The terms were staggered so that not everyone was up at the same time.  The idea was to have three expire in one year, and two in the next.  So now, with seven members, it would be 4 in one year and three in the next.  So one of the new directors would be one year, the rest for two years.

Jon moves that of the two new directors, one shall be for one year initially and two years thereafter, and the other for two years.
David seconds.
Vote unanimous

David nominates Jon Lussier, John Klee and Kurt Bos to the HCTV board of Directors for a term of two years.

Jon moves to accept the slate of nominees.
Robin seconds.
Vote unanimous.

Two new directors, one for one year and one for two.
Jon Lussier nominates Nancy Kellog to the HCTV board of Directors for a term of one year.

7 PM
Robin moves to accept nancy Kellogg as a Board of Directors for the term on one year.
David seconds.
Vote unanimous.

Nominations for new position of two year term.
Discussion ensues regarding the need for a Government Rep.
Steven says he could step down, have Monty Shatney fill the Government slot and elect Rachel Kane as the open spot.

Lief says she’s been a volunteer at the station for many years, runs Perennial Pleasures, member of the East Hardwick Grange, worked the Town Meeting.  Nancy says she’s a member of many local organizations.
Jon points out that since Monty isn’t here and we aren’t sure about his current status of being a board member that we could nominate Rachel, which we know she wants to do, for the 2 years slot, then, at a future meeting, a board member could resign, the board can appoint Monty Shatney.  Robin mentions that Hardwick hasn’t had a rep on the board for years, so if Monty is no longer interested, then we could look to Hardwick for a member.

Jon nominates Rachel Kane for the open two-year term of the HCTV Board of Directors.

7:15 PM
Robin moves to elect Rachel Kane to fill the seventh director position for a two year term.
Kurt seconds.
Vote unanimous

Meeting Minutes:
Steven Freihofner reads the minutes from the 2012 Annual Meeting.

Jon points out that officers were elected at the Annual Meeting, not at the following board meeting.

Robin moves to accept the minutes as read, David seconds.
No discussion.
Vote unanimous.

Election of Officers, all terms are for one year:
Jon nominates Steven Freihofner as President.
Leif asks what happens if Steven were to resign. Steven says the board would have to nominate a successor and the VP would run the meeting until then.
Vote to accept was unanimous.

John Klee nominated as Vice President by Jon Lussier.
Vote to accept was unanimous.

Jon nominates Dave Mitchell as Secretary.
Vote to accept was unanimous.

Jon nominates Kurt Bos as Treasurer.
Vote to accept was unanimous.

Station Report:
Sponsorships have slowed tremendously.  We shot 4 baseball games and aired one, with two sponsors.

We have not had sponsors for non-sports shows.  In previous years we had sponsors for the Spring Festival, but not this year.  And there had been discussion of sponsors for other events, such as select board and other meetings.  Sterling College has expressed an interest in sponsoring HCTV to record events there.  Leif says that he received a call from someone asking if we needed sponsors for the Hardwick Electric meetings. Jon says that getting sponsors for Select Board meetings might cause problems with the town appropriations.

Jon says the budget numbers look good like last year.  Lief says we do have the Capital Equipment fund, and says that with increased local programming on our website (through Vimeo) we are a Community ACCESS station, more than just Cable subscribers.  We can now access all of the households that have internet, more than just the folks that get cable. Leif says we could look at increasing our town appropriations. We are seeing more and more viewers. Jon says that when we started streaming the basketball games that we could see the viewer count rise throughout the year.  We had viewers from Iceland, Italy, Texas, Florida, etc.

Steven recalls his first meeting with a couple hundred cable subscribers and how internet access was some far-off future thing, and here we are now adding almost all locally produced programming online for only $60 a year!  It’s a new world!

Robin points out that both Woodbury and Hardwick appropriations really should not be raised this year, as both towns have reported huge tax increases already.

Steven says that compared to last year, the balance sheet has improved, due to the fundraisers and equipment. Numbers look good and operations have been phenomenal. Lief and Robin are keeping their work hours as minimal as possible, we have a good operation and money in the bank.

Robin says that the last time we received a subscriber report was 435, and Comcast refuses to update that number so we don’t know how many subscribers we have today, but at that time our quarterly checks were about $3800, and today, they are over $6000 (Capital and Operating combined). Jon Lussier says his cable bills haven’t gone up drastically in that time, so it is assumed that Comcast has more subscribers than in the past.

Next Board of Directors Meeting will be scheduled for October, date not set yet.

No further business.

David moves to adjourn, Jon seconds.
No Discussion.
Meeting adjourned at 7:55 PM

HCTV Board Meeting Minutes
April 11, 2013
Present: Steve Freihofner, Jon Lussier, John Klee, Board Members; Leif Goldberg,
Robin Grant, Employees
Called to order at 7:45 by Steven Freihofner
Jon moves to adopt the 2013 budget, John seconds.
Discussion: Capital fund; comparing previous years; Revenue/expenses;
Jon goes over the new equipment list with Steve and Leif.  Robin explains the
plan for replacing the cameras and editing computer.
Vote unanimous.
Meeting minutes for Jan. 23
Jon moves to accept, John seconds.
Jon asks if the raffle funds had been dispersed to the Food Shelf, Leif says yes.
Vote unanimous.
HCTV Blank Tape Stock Policy
Leif explains how the policy works now: $3/tape and 50¢ for the first DVD ($15 each
after that).  In three years Kurt bought maybe $120 in tape stock, or about $45 a year.
The proposal is to eliminate the tape and first DVD costs and keep the $15 for each
DVD after the first one.
Jon moves to amend the Blank Stock policy to waive the cost of the tapes and the cost
of the first DVD copy that is charged to the volunteer producers.
John Klee seconds.
No further discussion.
Vote unanimous.
Jon Lussier goes over the Profit/Loss statement with Steven.
Discussion on increasing sports coverage.
John Klee moves to adjourn, Jon seconds.
No discussion.
Vote unanimous.
Meeting adjourned at 8:23 PM.