HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-10-20-CAC-min RECEIVED
2023 '1 ,Jain, &55 am
TOWN OF LEXINGTON TOWN CL,ERK
COMMUNICATIONS ADVISORY COMMITTEE
LEXINGTON MA
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF OCT 20, 2022
CONDUCTED BY REMOTE PARTICIPATION
1. Call to order and roll call.
Communications Advisory Committee (CAC) Chair Kenneth Pogran called the meeting to order
at 6:37 PM and called the roll. The meeting was conducted remotely via Zoom.
Members Present (via Zoom): Ken Pogran, Chair; Bob Avallone, Dave Becker, Dave
Buczkowski, Steve Kaufman, Nick Lauriat, P.K. Shiu, Rita Vachani.
Members Absent: Smita Desai, Dorinda Goodman, Ramin Taraz
Quorum: A quorum of members was present.
Others Present: Doug Lucente, Select Board; Kelly Morris, Comcast
Materials Referenced: Draft minutes of the September 15, 2022 CAC meeting; Astound Rate
Notice Letter; Astound Rate Notice Information; Town Manager"Board and Committee" memo;
Draft CAC contribution to the Town Annual Report.
In addition, the following materials were provided for information: Revised minutes of the May
19, 2022 meeting; LexMedia contract extension; LexMedia contract amendment.
2. Review and VOTE to approve minutes of the CAC September 15, 2022 meeting
The minutes of the September 151h meeting were reviewed and approved by all.
3. Select Board liaison report: Doug Lucente
Doug Lucente noted that the Fall Special Town Meeting will kick off November 1, 2022 as a
remote meeting with an option for participants to gather at Cary Hall. He reported that the public
safety communication equipment, the two-way mobile radios, is having problem after moving
the police station headquarters to 173 Bedford Street. The Police Chief, the Fire Chief and the
Facilities Director put in an urgent request to the select board to replace the equipment. The
Select Board decided to use 750,000 of the town's reserve funds to pay for the replacement
equipment.
4. Service provider reports
Kerry Morris informed the committee that she has been connecting the Comcast Community
Affairs team with municipalities in her region to possibly make use of the Affordable
Connectivity Program from Comcast. This program can help qualified customers in paying for
part of their broadband bill in the amount of up to $30. Comcast has two basic programs: Internet
Essentials and the Internet Essentials Plus, that may be of interests to those customers. Comcast
will work with communities to help consumer sign up for these programs with the qualified
discount.
Mr. Lucente will connect Ms. Morris with the town's Human Service Director, Melissa Interess,
afterwards.
5. Chairman's Report: Ken Pogran
Ken Pogran noted that the three CAC members who were up for reappointment—Dave
Buczkowski, Ken Pogran and Rita Vachani – are approved and reappointed.
Mr. Pogran asked the CAC members to send him their contact information, especially phone
number(s) and indicate which number is the preferred contact number so that he can have an up-
to-date record for everyone.
Mr. Pogran requested going forward the recording secretary submit the first draft of the meeting
minutes within two weeks of the meeting to give the committee sufficient time to review before
the next meeting.
Mr. Pogran noted the town has released the new official website design and layout. The CAC has
been holding off on updated any outdated information on the CAC section of the website waiting
for the redesign work. Without another volunteer, Mr. Pogran will work with the web master to
update the CAC portion, which will take some time.
6. PEG finances update–Rita Vachani
Ms. Vachani reviewed the current LexMedia budget projection which has not changed since last
meeting. The project models in Fiscal 2023 we will dip into the surplus fund and in Fiscal 2024
we will need to ask the town to supplement the LexMedia expense.
The committee discussed with Mr. Lucente whether there is a possibility of housing LexMedia in
the new High School in the future. Mr. Lucente noted that there are a lot of competing priorities.
The town has recently created a High School Building Committee. The Chair recommends CAC
be the advocate for LexMedia and Mr. Pogran will email the town manager, School
superintendent and Select Board member Joe Pato establishing a channel of communication on
this topic.
7. Comcast Cable Television License Renewal Update: P. K. Shin, Dave Becker, Dave
Buczkowski, Nick Lauriat
Mr. Shiu reported that the first priority of the working group, as part of the ascertainment
process, is to draft an email to the town manager and school superintendent asking for input
regarding Comcast performance. Mr. Pogran will create the initial draft.
Mr. Shiu noted that the working group prefers to not hold a formal public hearing to solicit input
from the town's general population because of the procedural overhead. Instead the working
group will likely hold an informal session or use a survey to simplify that process.
Mr. Pogran will also reach out to Peter Epstein, the previous attorney Lexington used in the
negotiation process as Mr. Epstein has indicated that he may be retiring. The committee needs to
identify a potential replacement attorney, likely recommended by Mr. Epstein.
8. Wireless facility applications —Nick Lauriat
Mr. Lauriat reported that there has been nothing for the CAC to review in the permitting system.
Ken Pogran will continue to confirm if CAC can be dropped from this process with the town.
9. Complaints
There were no complaints in the period September to October(to-date).
10. Adjourn
The meeting was adjourned at 7.38 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
PK Shiu
Recording Secretary