HCTV MINUTES

January 23, 2020

Rachel called the meeting to order 7:00
Present: Rip, Kurt, Leif, Rachel, Wiz

Minutes:
After those present examined the minutes, Kurt moved to accept, and Rip seconded. Unanimous
agreement.

Financial Reports:
Leif explained the Profit and Loss Comparison numbers and people asked about individual items,
but we saw nothing untoward to be concerned about. Balance Sheet also raised questions about specific
lines, but only because we’re not involved in the day-to-day finances. Rip moved acceptance; Kurt
seconded; we voted unanimously to accept both.

Station Report:
Leif took the Comcast deposit ($23,000) and asked about their best CD. We have a large $10,000
CD that we have never touched so he moved it into 55 month CD at 2.225%. We discussed moving all
our savings into 55 month CDs in $10,000 lumps, thinking that if we have to break into one of them, we
can take a penalty on one and not jeopardize anything else.
About a dozen stations need to renew their contracts, including HCTV. Comcast has sent us a
contract with a Feb. 6 date for signing, but we don’t know the down-side of not meeting that date.
Comcast deals with each station individually, but VAN is organizing a web conference for all the stations
during which they will give their take on the proposed contract. Leif and Robin both noticed missing
language, and the VAN consultant recognized it and that it’s significant. Mostly the gaps have to do with
remote origins sites.
Comcast has agreements with the state and CPG that requires Comcast to maintain the ROSs, but
they don’t mention that in the proposed contract.
This basketball season we have had trouble with the Hazen (a remote origin site) internet
connection during ball games.
There is a planned phone call between VAN and the stations to discuss what the VAN lawyers
think of the contract. Rachel suggested that Robin attend.
We may become Channel 1080 on February 17. Still tentative, but we’ll know soon.
The board talked about how to change our ‘brand’ from 16 to 1080, if we do, in fact , get that
number. Both channels will work for 3 months. Tasks before advertising the new number:
1.

Verify that the channel works

Develop outreach campaign to explain the change.

Change our signs
Rachel likes the logo and suggested we can just change the number. Leif will play with it.
Leif suggested we have explanatory brochures to hand out at Town Meeting in Hardwick and
Woodbury.

Leif got a one-year contract from a Neilson third-party company in an arrangement with Comcast
to deliver our programming through the ‘guide’ function of cable remotes. They want $150 set-up fee

followed by $100/month with 3% increase each year. Rachel asked if we can assess the efficacy of this in
terms of our audience. Leif didn’t know of any. After a lot of conversation on the pros and cons of the
idea, factoring in Leif’s time and the costs and the feasibility of meeting the contract deadlines, we
decided not to sign it. We’re the smallest station in the state, and this will add a couple hours a week to
Leif’s work that takes him away from more important work.
Rachel moved that we table the contract idea until a later time.

Leif needed some help with internet access, and so he brought in additional help — Doug
McClure to sort it out, and he did. He and Leif have combined the functions of three different computers
to one new machine.
We now have a workers’ comp policy with Calderwood Insurance. Our regular insurance has
been updated with Morse Insurance.
We have an announcer for the basketball games — a senior from People’s Academy (James
Salvas) Doing a very good job. Plans to go to Lyndon in broadcasting. Griffin has been doing the camera,
but the student adds commentary. Leif has provided John Sperry, athletic director at Hazen, with a link
that has the basketball games on a private channel.
Hazen teacher, Sean McIntyre, runs a career cafe. Students did 7 HCTV programs as part of it.

Charge-back: Comcast is taking a bunch of stuff away, so they’re not going to be able to charge
back for it.

Next meeting: Annual Meeting April 24.
Rachel suggested we adjourn.
Adjorned at 9:05.

Elizabeth H. Dow

HCTV Board Meeting
October 24, 2019
Minutes

Present: Rachel, Rip, Kurt, Wiz, Leif, Robin
Rachel called the meeting to order at 7:00.

On a motion by Kurt and second by Rip, the Board approved the Minutes with 4 votes; Robin abstained because he wasn’t present at the meeting.
We discussed the profit and loss and year-to-date statements. Both documents raised questions about specific items, but we saw no general problems.

Robin moved; Kurt seconded; we approved unanimously.

Budget: it also raised some specific questions, however, the questions which asked for clarification of how the budget items related to the items listed in
the other two documents revealed that budget item labels and report items labels don’t match well. Leif will work on making them clearer

Kurt moved; Robin

Leif’s Station Report:
Comcast’s Certificate of Public Good was approved after the settlement agreement between VAN, Comcast, and the DPS was reached. While details still need some clarification, we know that
1) HCTV will be moved off Channel 16 to a dedicated PEG neighborhood enabling them to be listed with individual listings and full functionality on all programming guides. The move means re-branding and re-training our audience. The switch will occur during basketball season, which gives us a good way to
spread the word.
2) The FCC has ruled that cable companies may charge-back for services they supply as in-kind contributions. The ruling went into effect on 9/26. Leif recently saw a video in which a Comcast rep said that Comcast will charge for in-kind services, like internet access, and will provide stations a lump sum to cover the costs. How this all will shake out remains unclear.

Robin asked whether our PEG operating money will be impacted by the FCC ruling and Comcast’s response. Thanks to VAN’s work the answer is No.
Leif will try to attend a Nov. 14th “summit” in Rutland for stations impacted by the settlement.

Vid kids: 7 kids enrolled — ages 7-14. Two 5-hour sessions. Maura Gahan, a dancer, led the workshop and produced a very avant garde video.
Sean McIntyre (teacher at Hazen Union) contacted Leif and has begun a “career cafe” for the students. McIntyre wants his kids to record the sessions and edit the recording so HCTV can broadcast it. Everyone needs to have a photo release with the station.

Leif served as a technical consultant to Craftsbury Academy.

The station has covered a full season of soccer. Lance Hall did the whole season but for the last game. Kudos. Leif issued a special price for the sponsors and sold them all.

Basketball season: The athletic director asked that we not archive the broadcasts on the web until after the season is over, lest the competition use them as training films. Lance can’t commit to the full season, and Leif doesn’t know who will it take on. Griffin Lussier has expressed some interest in calling thegame. He could also run the broadcast.

Leif wants to increase the independent camera operators stipend. Currently we’re paying $50 per shoot. He’d like to go to $60. Robin moved; Rachel
seconded; and we voted to accept the proposal unanimously.

We need to get a petition signed this year to assure our appropriation from the Town.

The coin drop netted $728.

Leif and Wiz are working on an agreement between the station and the historical society whereby the HHS will provide off-site storage for the station’s body of work.

To get the workers’ compensation insurance, the board is being required to sign a waiver of the benefits. Leif will leave the affidavit at the Town Clerk’s
office so we can all sign and have it notarized.

Rip moved, and we adjourned at 8:20.

Elizabeth H. Dow

HCTV Board Meeting
Minutes
7/25/2019

Present are Wiz, Rachel, Kurt, Rip and Leif
Rachel called the meeting to order at 7:00.

Minutes:
Correction: Elizabeth’s name should be spelled Rossano.
Rip asked about the meaning of VAN — the Vermont Access Network and GMATV, Green
Mountain Area TV in Hyde Park.
Kurt moved acceptance, Rip seconded. Unanimous.
Financials:

Funds are fairly stable. We’re contracting with camera people, and otherwise income/outgo is
stable. Leif answered a few technical questions, but nobody saw any problems.
Kurt moved we accept both. Second: Rip. Unanimous.
Station Report:

Leif reported that July has been pretty quiet — no sports, Selectboards quiet. We’re Covering
Craftsbury Vibrations. Bernie Lussier, the band’s leader, has been bringing VHS tapes for Leif to
digitize, and Leif has then been showing them on the station and getting good responses.
Also doing a show at HCA —Taryn Noelle—on August 3.
Covering a play in Cabot.
We’ve been asked to cover a discussion in Craftsbury of the Mueller Report on collusion.
Rachel asked if we have a policy about charging for our services. Leif explained that we’re
looking for content, and so he’s reluctant to put up a barrier – like money.
Leif spoke at length about the issues he runs into with copyrighted material. As a solution he
puts it on YouTube instead of on Vimeo which has a strict policy about copyrighted material.
Leif had a new volunteer on camera — Arthur Hynes — who has a lot of experience with PEG access
TV. Leif has checked his work, and finds it very good. Leif has started paying him.
Leif is feeling comfortable with our staffing level.
Leif has a vision for the Whiteway project, including Anne Hanson to do a voice-over.
Leif went to a job fair at Hazen. He thinks he made some good connections, that haven’t paid
off yet — including with the teacher who’s giving a course in video production.
Vid Kids is on schedule to take off next week. Only 5 kids signed up, and now 1 can’t make it.
Leif isn’t sure it will fly.
He has been training Griffin on the Hardwick Selectboard, but technical difficulties have made
it a hassle. Griffin’s doing well, however — regardless.

Motion to adjourn: Kurt moved. Second, Rachel. Unanimous
Entered executive session about pending Comcast contract at 7:49.

Executive session ended at 8:13.

Present: Leif Goldberg, Kurt Boss, Rachel Kane, Wiz Dow, Robin Grant
Rachel called the meeting to order 7:03
Kurt moved we accept the minutes of the July 26, 2018. Rachel second. No discussion. Unanimous acceptance. Robin, who didn’t attend that meeting, abstained.
Station Annual Report: Leif reported that we produced 142 programs, up from 124 the previous year. He mentioned broadcasting more soccer had a big impact on that change.
He conducted 1 training for new camera people, but no Vid Kids programs. He wants to pick up the Vid Kids program this summer. He’s has asked Maura Gahan to serve as instructor, expecting to pay her from our operating budget rather than grant funding. She thinking it over. If she accepts, she will provide creative instruction, while the station will provide logistical and administrative support. The program would be free to the kids.
Kevin Gregoire, from Craftsbury, has taken the training and become fairly active as a camera person.
We had some discussion of the Public Service Award production program at Hazen Union and the possibility of establishing a connection between the people there and the station.
We also had some discussion of potential new members for the board.

Comcast report: In March, Comcast technicians installed fiber optic fully into the station instead of just to the Memorial Building. The connection, now undergoing testing, will remove the need to convert our digital output to analog to send it out to the network. Leif confirmed that we will not have to pay for the installation.
The FTC ruling relieving cable companies of the requirement to fund local TV stations has not yet gone through, but, it seems it will go through.
The Vermont Access Network (VAN) met with Peter Welsh, a member of the Senate Education and Communications Committee, to see what can be done to avert the rule. No promises. VAN also lobbied the state legislature in January on the same point.
VAN’s annual meeting will be in St. Albans on Friday, May 4. Leif will learn more about this issue there.
Leif has bought some battery power back-up (Uninterruptible Power Supply) to fill the gap between the moment when a power outage starts and the 20 seconds before the town’s generator kicks in.
Leif is considering attending the Hazen Hiring Fair on May 24, as outreach to the students and teachers. He will schedule a training for anyone who expresses interest.
Leif pointed out that we need more interviewers. We discussed who he might ask and the possibility of training them.
Election of Officers:
Rachel and Kurt stood for election as President and Treasurer, respectively. Robin moved. Kurt seconded. Unanimous vote.

Community Comment: None. Adjourn 7:50