HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-09-19-CAC-min TOWN OF LEXINGTON
COMMUNICATIONS ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 19, 2024
PARKER ROOM, TOWN OFFICE BUILDING (AND ALSO BY REMOTE PARTICIPATION)
1. Call to order and roll call.
Communications Advisory Committee (CAC) Chair Kenneth Pogran called the meeting to order
at 6:35 PM and called the roll. The meeting was conducted both in person in the Parker Room in
the Town Office Building and remotely via Zoom.
Members Present: Ken Pogran, Chair; Bob Avallone, Nick Lauriat, Rita Vachani, Steve
Kaufman, P.K. Shiu
Members Present (via Zoom): Dave Buczkowski, Smita Desai, Dorinda Goodman, Shabbir
Bagarsrawala, Dave Becker
Members Absent: None
Quorum: A quorum of members was present.
Others Present: None
Materials Referenced:
• Draft minutes of the June 20, 2024 meeting
• CAC contribution to the Town Annual Report(as submitted)
• LexMedia Report, September 2024
2. Review and VOTE to approve minutes of the June 20 meeting—Shabbir Bagarsrawala
The draft minutes of the June 20, 2024 meeting were reviewed. R. Vachani moved to approve
the minutes, D. Buczkowski seconded. The committee voted to approve, with D. Buczkowski,
Steve Kaufman, Bob Avallone, and Smita Desai abstaining.
3. Service provider reports
No service provider representatives were present, and no reports were submitted to the Chair.
4. Chairman's Report—Ken Pogran
The Chair reviewed the schedule of upcoming meetings (the third Thursday of the month
through June 2025). B. Avallone suggested we try to schedule a meeting at LexMedia. K.
Pogran will follow-up with F. Delsanto.
The Chair promised to send out the schedule of recording secretary assignments and complaints
assignments.
The Chair reviewed committee reappointments. P.K. Shiu has declined to be reappointed, but
the two other members up for reappointment(S. Desai and D. Becker) volunteered to be
reappointed. K. Pogran reminded the committee that that means there's an opening on the
committee.
The Chair reviewed working group assignments and confirmed that members were comfortable
continuing with their assignments. B. Avallone volunteered to help R. Vachani with PEG
Revenue. S. Kaufman volunteered to continue leading the Wireless Services working group, and
S. Bagarsrawala volunteered to join that group.
S. Kaufman discussed his experience "cutting the cord" and his transition to YouTube TV. K.
Pogran reviewed some of the history of the cable act, and the nature of the regulations applicable
to the various common carriers. S. Desai described the "Xumo"product from Comcast that
seemingly replaces Xfinity cable television. D. Becker suggested we follow-up with Bill August
and/or industry groups to learn more. K. Pogran also suggested we follow-up with the
Massachusetts DTC.
K. Pogran said that while F. DelSanto wasn't in attendance, he pointed out that she sent a report
of the activities over the summer at LexMedia that was forwarded to the committee this
afternoon.
5. Review and VOTE to approve CAC contribution to Town Annual Report—Ken Pogran
Due to the very early due date (September 12) K. Pogran prepared the contribution and
submitted it to the committee for review via email. K. Pogran received comments on the draft
sent to the committee, he incorporated those comments and submitted the contribution to the
town. While the contribution has been submitted, the chair requested the committee approve the
submission.
B. Avallone moved to approve the CAC contribution to Town Annual Report, S. Kaufman
seconded. The committee voted to approve.
6. Comcast license renewal update—Dave Becker, Dave Buczkowski, Ken Pogran
The license has been signed.
7. Potential"Calendar Keeper" opportunity—P. K. Shin
The committee discussed signing up to decrement the countdown clock in front of the town
building. Apparently, it is possible to decrement the countdown clock in the evening (instead of
the morning). K. Pogran promised to look in to decrementing the countdown clock just ahead of
our next meeting.
8. Town IT update—Dorinda Goodman
Dorinda Goodman said things were very busy—still working on the police department building.
Activities include bringing in new technology and hooking up equipment. D. Goodman said she
believed the AT&T tower behind the police department was active. AT&T is the only carrier on
the tower at this time. Public safety antennas have been moved to the tower. The town plans to
put additional infrastructure on the tower, but that won't happen for at least half a year.
9. Complaints
K. Pogran said that he believed there were no formal complaints received over the summer. K.
Pogran described an informal complaint he had heard about involving Verizon accidentally
cutting an RCN drop.
10. Election of Committee Chair, 2024-2025
K. Pogran said that while it was intention to step away from the chair, since nobody had
expressed interest or willingness to assume the chairmanship, he was willing to continue for one
more year. The committee briefly discussed the idea of electing a vice chair, but no action was
taken.
R. Vachani nominated K. Pogran to serve as the chair, seconded by S. Kaufman. The chair was
reelected by acclamation.
11. Retiring member appreciation
The Chair and the committee expressed their appreciation to P.K. Shiu for his work on the
committee. P.K. Shiu said he learned a lot about how town committees work and expressed his
appreciation for what he learned about through this committee's work.
12. Adjournment
D. Buczkowski moved to adjourn, D. Goodman seconded. The meeting was adjourned at 7:42
PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Nicholas Lauriat
Recording Secretary