HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996-03-28-CAC-min.pdf CATV & Communications Advisory Committee
•
Minutes of3/28/96 Meeting
The meeting was held in room G-15, and was called to order at 5:35 by
Chairman Jane Gharibian. Members present were Jack Cunha,David Becker,
Steve Ellis, Jane Gharibian, David Kanter, Julie Longscape, Ted Mairson,
Martha Stanton, and Robert Warshawer David Green and Peter Atherton
represented the cable company Nicholas Hay, an interested citizen, was also
present.
Ms. Gharibian provided a revised agenda (attached) and announced that
Martha Stanton would be the complaint coordinator for the Month of April. Bob
Warshawer was asked to prepare minutes for this meeting. Minutes of the Feb.
15 meeting were approved. Mr Green stated that the data requested by Mr
Bussgang was en route to him.
A discussion of the Marques proposal ensued. It was again pointed out that past
attempts at similar activity failed for lack of community interest. It is also
evident that the proposal would require a change to the (almost negotiated)
license. The question of the committee's responsibility in this matter was raised
since the proposal requests action by the committee - for now we can only
endorse the idea. In order to provide this committee or the town meeting
(whichever must act) a basis for further consideration, it is recommended that
Mr Marques expand the proposal to include: an indication of interest within the
town, a business plan, and a feasibility study for implementation.
Ted Mairson outlined some governance problems with the I Net including future
availability of AR support and a considerable discussion ensued.
There is no one assigned responsibility for overall network management and
maintenance. It is being done by the LINK Committee and an ad hoc LINK
operation committee. The school administration is presently overseeing the
day-to-day operation of the net.
The trunk is not considered to be reliable for both immediate technical
reasons and because legislative and licensing actions may relieve AR of the
requirement to provide the I Net. There is considerable activity supported by
AR to resolve the immediate technical problem. AR's long term plan is to install
a fiber optic loop around metropolitan Boston, fed by a common head end, with
hubs for each community being served to provide video, data, INTERNET and
possibly telephony services
The town's free INTERNET access may be in jeopardy if Lincoln Lab changes
vendors.
J
The following was was moved, seconded and passed (Mr Ellis abstaining).
"Based on the discussion of present and potential future problems and the
apparent paucity of long-range planning regarding the townwide
information network, the committee feels it is essential to reopen the
previously budgeted resources to manage the townwide information
network and to provide the long term view in order to protect the value of
Lexington's investment in the I Net."
Mr Green brought us up-to-date.
The Mass. Cable Commission released its Rate Order (copies in the mail to
the town) There are no changes to those rates announced at the last meeting.
The technician position has been filled, AR is now at full staff.
At the end of last Saturday's "open house" 96% of the Jerrold boxes had been
swapped out. In response to Mr Kanter's query AR will continue advertising
and swapping boxes as at present. There is no concerted action contemplated
to dig out the remaining 4%.
AR's General Manager spoke with Mr Garber and they will speak again.
Mr Kanter is in receipt of a plan for Drummer Boy, he will meet with the
AR rep to continue working the resolution of their problems.
Steve Ellis commended AR for their recent support (3 technicians) in I Net
problem resolution.
The next meeting will be April 2% 5
The meeting was adjourned at 7:20 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Robert D. Warshawer