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

Rachel called the meeting to order at 7:51.

Robin moved that we accept the minutes. Kurt seconded. Discussion followed.

Leif has not found an online archive beyond uploading our programming to YouTube. We stream through YouTube which captures it unedited. If he edits it, he has to upload it again. He’s ambivalent about Archive.com. The up-front one-time $2000 feel feels expensive, but using it may be a good idea. He will pursue it at the VAN meeting.

The Hardwick Historical Society (HHS) is willing to hold a back-up hard drive in its repository. HCTV and HHS will work out a ‘contract’ for how updating and access will work.

Unanimous acceptance.

Balance Sheet — Nothing raised any concern. Kurt moved to accept; Robin seconded. Unanimous.

Profit and Loss — Leif pointed out that our income from PEG has dropped $2000 (roughly 12%) because of a change in their accounting practices. It will remain at this lower level for quarterly payments into the future.

Kurt moved we accept; Robin seconded. Unanimous.
Station Report — We accepted the report given during the Annual Meeting.

Staffing — The station had a busy winter, producing 50 programs between December and March. Elizabeth Rossario left the station as of the third week of March. That leaves the Curtis Whiteway project without someone to work on it. The project is unfinished, though well planned out if anyone with the skills could take it over.

Griffin has picked up the external shooting, but we need someone who can shoot things, and someone who can run the live production software.

Rachel asked how quickly we need a replacement, and Leif allowed that it’s not an immediate need. Events to cover drops off after the winter sports season, so we have time to sort out what we need.

Robin announced that he will be available soon.

Leif pointed out the pros and cons of hiring someone for the station as opposed to using contractors. Pros: somebody embedded in the station, who has working regular hours, able to cover live broadcasting, running soundboard and cameras at the same time, means we can respond to all kinds of requests. Cons: the communication with them is hard because everyone has such short hours and no crossover of their hours.

Hardwick Community Television Quarterly Board Meeting January 24, 2019 Minutes

Present: Elizabeth Rossano, Kurt Bos, Elizabeth Dow, Leif Goldberg, Robin Grant.

November Minutes: Robin moved we accept; Kurt seconded; unanimously accepted.

Financials: Leif reviewed the station’s financials, and nobody saw any points for concern. Kurt moved; Robin seconded; unanimously approved.

Brief discussion of the basketball broadcasting: it’s highly popular and the new features have received many compliments. Kurt suggested a technical change, which Leif implimented.

Station Report:

Copyright issues. We’re using Vimeo for online storage, at $400/year. Vimeo is getting concerned about copyright — they will delete an account if you get 3 strikes, and we’ve had one — recording a dance recital using commercial music.

Leif would like a backup archive. We have hard drives, but he would like an Internet archive. There’s a 1-time $2000 charge for a module that will send stuff to Archive.com. Leif wonders if it’s worth the $2000 and whether Archive.com will remain viable. He will into the issue more, including YouTube. Goal is to find a solution by the next meeting.

He and Wiz discussed working with the HHS to provide the archival discs a permanent, archivally sound storage area. Wiz will take it up with the HHS.

Elizabeth threw out an idea about a show, produced by HCTV — 10-15 segments in a half-hour or hour documentary format featuring ‘your neighbors’, focusing on what’s not obvious about them: why they live here; what they see for the town. People would be nominated by other members of the community. Discussion of various ways to do that. Could we do it live? Could we have people submit content?

Leif and Ray Small met and cleared up the issues of credit for HCTV stuff.

FCC Funding rule will go into effect whereby Comcast can charge us for ‘in-kind’ services. But we don’t know when. Our one hope is that the House Committee that deals with the FCC is now controlled by the Democrats, which may get us some more pushback. VAN is putting together a lobbying effort. Van is also organizing a state legislative day in Montpelier, Feb 20, to talk about future funding of these station through a state appropriation.

Another threat: the state Public Service of Vermont is still in court with Comcast

Another threat: we have no contract with Comcast — was to have been renewed Feb. 2018.

Another threat: what will happen with Internet and 5-G services. Annual Meeting in April. Date: 4th Thursday, tentatively. April 25.

Respectfully Submitted Elizabeth H Dow

HCTV Board Regular Meeting
Nov 14, 2018

Present are: Kurt, Rachel, Wiz, Rip, Leif

7pm- Meeting Opens

Approved minutes from July 2018

Financial Reports approved

Budget set for next year

Long debate about staff salaries. Everyone agreed that they deserve a raise, but the question of how much proved difficult.

The Board decided to meet at Wiz’s house on Nov. 20 to make a decision.

Meeting adjourned about 8:15

recorded by Wiz