2014

MINUTES of CTAC of Hamden, New Haven and West Haven

Meeting Date: December 11, 2014

A regular monthly meeting of the CTAC was held at Ristorante Luce, 2987 Whitney Ave., Hamden, Connecticut Thursday, December 11, 2014. Tad Weinstein presiding. Don Levy secretary. Meeting was called to order at 6:12.

Members in attendance:

Tad Weinstein, Chair (WH)

Peaches Quinn, Vice-Chair (NH)

George Alexander, Treasurer (H)

Don Levy, Secretary (H)

Johnes Ruta, (NH)

Jennifer Sacco, non-voting member emeritus, also present

Minutes of November 5, 2014, CTAC meeting accepted.

Chair Weinstein announced that New Haven Mayor Toni Harp had appointed Ms. Martha Brogan of the New Haven Free Public Library to represent New Haven on the CTAC board. Chair Weinstein said he would contact Ms. Brogan to let her know that CTAC meets at the offices of CTV at 843 State Street, New Haven, at 6:00 pm (Pizza at 5:30) on the first Wednesday of each month. Secretary Levy noted that 7 seats remain unfilled.

Chair Weinstein reminded members that a public hearing regarding Frontier Communications’ recent takeover of cable television service from AT&T is scheduled for Dec. 22.

Chair Weinstein suggested that CTAC establish a nominating committee to present a slate to nominees for CTAC leadership positions. Mr. Ruta said that it was premature to establish a nominating committee and that this action should be postponed until the May meeting. No vote was taken on the matter.

COMCAST representative Sharon Codeanne wrote to Chair Weinstein on Dec. 18 to say she was sorry that her schedule precluded her from attending the CTAC December meeting. She also sent a report for December to Chair Weinstein along with a PURA filing which outlined COMCAST rate increases going into effect on Dec. 20. Chair Weinstein forwarded Ms. Codeanne’s letter and the PURA filing to all CTAC members on Dec. 19.

Meeting adjourned at 7:09 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Don Levy, CTAC Secretary

MINUTES of CTAC of Hamden, New Haven and West Haven

Meeting Date: November 5, 2014

Call to order: A regular monthly meeting of CTAC was held at CTV, 843 State Street, New Haven, Connecticut, on Wednesday, November 5, 2014. Chair Tad Weinstein, presiding. Don Levy, secretary. Meeting called to order at 6:10.

Members in attendance:

Tad Weinstein, Chair (WH)

Peaches Quinn (NH)

George Alexander, Treasurer (H)

Don Levy, Secretary (H)

Johnes Ruta, (NH)

No CTV or COMCAST representatives.

Minutes of October 1, 2014, meeting approved.

George Alexander reported on the complaint he had filed with Frontier Communications which is the successor cable provider to ATT U-verse. Alexander reported poor service from Frontier including more than one appointment for installation at his home which was missed by the Frontier service technician.

CTAC Vice-Chair Quinn reported that she had reached out to all three school member municipality school districts to make sure they were up to speed on the CTAC Excellence in Public Service Video Contest rules. Quinn has not received any response to her outreach. She indicated that she is concerned that the CTAC Video Excellence contest will receive a small number of entries.

Don Levy reported that he had made reservations for Thursday, December 11, at 6 pm for the annual CTAC dinner meeting at Ristorante Luce restaurant in Hamden. He reported that Jenn Sacco had indicated she would attend the meeting. Chairperson Weinstein asked Levy to send a reminder to all members regarding the location and date for the December meeting two weeks prior to the actual date. Levy said he would send a reminder email notification as requested.

Members were shown the graphics produced by J. Ruta for the new logo for CTAC. Ruta received praise for his work. The sense of the members is that a good start has been made. Ruta was asked to produce one graphic in black and white and in a format which would be appropriate for new CTAC letterhead.  Ruta said that he would do so.

Levy again reminded members that there were eight open seats on CTAC. He asked members to use personal contacts to find people to volunteer to fill these openings.

Meeting was adjourned at 7:00.

Submitted by Don Levy

CTAC Secretary

MINUTES of CTAC of Hamden, New Haven and West Haven

Meeting Date: October 1, 2014

Call to order: A regular monthly meeting of CTAC was held at CTV, 843 State Street, New Haven, Connecticut, on Wednesday, October 1, 2014. Chair Tad Weinstein, presiding. Don Levy, secretary. Meeting called to order at 6:07.

Members in attendance:

Tad Weinstein, Chair (WH)

Peaches Quinn (NH)

George Alexander, Treasurer (H)

Don Levy, Secretary (H)

Johnes Ruta, (NH)

Non-member COMCAST Representative: Sharon Codeanne present

Minutes of September 3, 2014, meeting approved.

COMCAST Representative Codeanne presented her report. She reviewed the national C-SPAN video contest which dovetails locally with the current CTAC Excellence in Public Service Video Contest. She reviewed new COMCAST channels and channel changes. She also reported COMCAST’s participation in a service project “ARTE.”

Ms. Codeanne responded to CTAC’s recent requests for information regarding COMCAST policies regarding instructions to COMCAST service representatives with regard to customer requests to terminate service. She indicated that any instructions a local landlord may have received to retain COMCAST equipment rather than to return the equipment to COMCAST was against COMCAST protocols. She cast doubt on the veracity of the customer complaint in the particular case which had been referred to CTAC for resolution. Ms. Condeanne also reported that COMCAST had made a no charge pick up at the building in question in the recent complaint. The sense of the CTAC board was that the complaint had been resolved to the board’s satisfaction.

Chair Weinstein pointed out to Ms. Condeanne that the current plans to close the New Haven COMCAST customer service center and open a new center in North Haven would present a hardship for New Haven and West Haven COMCAST customers without access to a private automobile. Ms. Codeanne pointed out that bus service is available to the new North Haven customer service location and that by consolidating several service areas into the new office customers would be provide greatly improved service with shorter wait times and many automated services including kiosk bill pay.

CTAC member Ruta asked about COMCAST’s commitment to so-called “net neutrality.” Ms. Codeanne reiterated COMCAST’s commitment to “net neutrality.”

CTAC Vice-Chair Quinn reported that she had reached out to all three school boards to make sure they were up to speed on the CTAC Excellence in Public Service Video Contest rules.

Thursday December 11 was set as the date for the annual CTAC dinner meeting.  Members chose Luce restaurant in Hamden as the site and asked Secretary Levy to make reservations for 7 people. Levy was asked to invite former CTAC Secretary J. Sacco to join CTAC at Luce.

Meeting was adjourned at 7:25.

Submitted by Don Levy

CTAC Secretary

MINUTES of CTAC of Hamden, New Haven and West Haven

Meeting Date: September 3, 2014

Call to order: A regular monthly meeting of CTAC was held at CTV, 843 State Street, New Haven, Connecticut on Wednesday, September 3, 2014. Chair Tad Weinstein presiding. Don Levy secretary. Meeting called to order at 6:10.

Members in attendance:

Tad Weinstein, Chair (WH)

Peaches Quinn (NH)

George Alexander, Treasurer (H)

Don Levy, Secretary (H)

Johnes Ruta, (NH)

Non-member CTV Representative: Joe Scofield present

Minutes of August 6, 2014 meeting approved.

Joe presented the CTV report. CTV has purchased hardware capable of live streaming of video from anywhere in three municipality area capable of sending and receiving WiFi. Members expressed interest in this new capacity. Some said live video feeds from public events could enhance the public service component of CTV’s efforts. Joe also indicated that he has not received any indication from AT&T that it is willing to provide the requisite video lines necessary to allow U-verse subscribers to receive the CTV productions that these subscribers are paying for as part of their monthly fees. Joe indicated that the fact that AT&T is going to transfer ownership of the business to another company in the next few months is reason to conclude that they are not going to fund any new service. Joe indicated that he is going to try to connect with a representative of the incoming service to request that that entity provide lines necessary to make CTV programming available to its customers as soon as possible.

George Alexander read large portions of letters he had received on behalf of CTAC from a New Haven landlord and property owner, Jonathon Eaton, which complained of how difficult it had been for him to discontinue COMCAST service and to determine how to return the COMCAST equipment left at his building by a tenant who had moved out.  The board voted to direct Chair Weinstein to contact COMCAST representative Sharon Codeanne. One motion requested that Chair Weinstein ask Ms. Codeanne to research Mr. Eaton’s complaints and to report what she learned to CTAC. A second motion was brought to the floor asking Chair Weinstein to request that Ms. Codeanne ask that the local COMCAST official whose job it is to establish policies in the area of how COMCAST Customer Service representatives handle customer requests to terminate COMCAST service address the next meeting to enlighten the board on policies relating to requests to terminate service. Both motions passed.

Co-Chair Peaches Quinn volunteered to contact the appropriate officials in each of the school districts covered by CTAC to make sure they had been made aware of CTAC’s current Video Excellence Award Contest and to answer any outstanding questions they had. Secretary Levy said he would forward all the contact information he had gathered with regard to the school superintendents to Ms. Quinn to facilitate her outreach.

Secretary Levy noted the number CTAC seats which are vacant and the difficulty of doing CTAC business when a quorum is not present because of the vacancies. Levy volunteered to do personal outreach to find new members from Hamden and asked all other members to make efforts to find new members from their towns as well.

Meeting was adjourned at 7:20.

Submitted by Don Levy

CTAC Secretary

MINUTES of CTAC of Hamden, New Haven and West Haven Meeting Date: August 6, 2014

Call to order: A regular monthly meeting of CTAC was held at CTV, 843 State Street, New Haven, Connecticut on Wednesday, August 6,2014. Chair Tad Weinstein presiding. Don Levy secretary. Meeting started at 6: 1 O.

Members in attendance:

Tad Weinstein, Chair (WH) Peaches Quinn (NH)

George Alexander, Treasurer (H) Don Levy, Secretary (H)

Johnes Ruta, (NH)

Non-member Comcast representative: Sharon Codeanne present

Minutes of July 2, 2014 meeting accepted.

Comcast report detailed changes to the Internet Essentials program. The program is targeted at low income families with school-aged children which receive Comcast cable services not currently with internet access in the home. Internet Essentials will now be provided at no charge for up to six months. Once the free introductory period is complete, monthly fees are $9.95. Comcast also has provided an amnesty program allowing families with outstanding cable bills to participate. Eligibility requires that families have at least one school-aged child eligible for the National School Lunch Program or to attend a school in which most students are eligible for the program. Low cost computers are also available for purchase from Comcast for the qualifying families.

A long discussion regarding distribution of prize money from the Video contest ensued. Council voted to award money to the administrative sponsor of the winning project to be distributed equally to all student participants based on identification in the video’s credits. Students themselves will decide how the money will be spent.

Secretary will mail letters informing superintendents of schools in the three towns as soon as letter and inserts have been finalized.

Council voted to send a letter of thanks to retiring council member Jennifer Sacco. Her tireless efforts as CTAC Secretary were noted. Secretary was instructed to send a letter of appreciation to Jennifer Sacco and to send a copy to Hamden Mayor Scott Jackson. Motion passed.

The August regular meeting of CTAC was adjourned at 7:40.

Respectfully submitted by D. Levy, CTAC secretary

MINUTES of CTAC of Hamden, New Haven and West Haven
Meeting Date: July 2, 2014

Call to order: A regular monthly meeting of the CTAC was held at CTV, 843 State Street, New Haven, Connecticut on Wednesday, July 2, 2014. President Tad Weinstein presiding. Don Levy secretary. No quorum present. No votes were conducted. Meeting started at 6:10.

Members in attendance:

Tad Weinstein, Chair (WH)

George Alexander, Treasurer (H)

Don Levy, Secretary (H)

Johnes Ruta, (NH)

No quorum present. No official actions were taken. CTAC Secretary Levy stated that CTAC has several open positions. He indicated that filling the empty seats will mean fewer meetings lacking a quorum.

Levy indicated he would write letters to officials in the three member jurisdictions asking them to provide individuals to fill the empty seats.

No reports presented.

The July regular meeting of CTAC was adjourned at 7:13.

Respectfully submitted by D. Levy, CTAC secretary

05/07/2014   start time 6:10   end time  7:30   Temp. 83 degrees
 
Attendees:    Don Levy,  Tad Weinstein,  Peaches Quinn , George Alexander, Phil Kimmel,  and Johnes Ruta
 
Topics discussed:
Nominations for officers as follows:
Chairman———Tad
Vice Chairman ——-Peaches
Treasurer——–George
Secretary—-Don
 
Various official letters from Comcast pertaining to:
New Channel line-up
Annual report (10K)
 
Motions:
Motion to accept minutes-All in favor—–passes
Motion to  contact bank to correct address on misplaced checks received —-passes
Motion to refer customer complaints to Sharon (Comcast) for further processing –passes
Motion to accept CTAC Video contest working document and to submit to typist to be returned to members for final vote in June—–passes
Motion to adjourn meeting—-passes 7:30  PM
 
Philip Kimmel

Weds.  April 2, 2014
Present:  
George Alexander, Treasurer, H
Don Levy, H
Jennifer Sacco, H
Tad Weinstein, WH, chair
Johnes Ruta, NH
Peaches Quinn, vice chair, NH
Phil Kimmel, H
Joe Schofield, CTV
Meeting called to order 6:10 p.m.
Peaches moved we approve the March minutes with corrections of two minor errors.  Johnes seconded.  Motion passed.
State ordered Comcast and CTV to be reconnected, which costs CTV about $15,000.  Comcast negotiated a payment plan for CTV.
CTV has not heard back from AT&T about them putting CTV on their system, despite CTV meeting their demands.
There were 3 bills in the legislature to restore PEGPETIA funds, each of which died in committee, but an aggregated new bill is before the State legislature, HB 5413.
Phil presented a list of public middle schools in the 3 city area, to whom our contest announcement will be sent.
Jen stepped down as secretary and asked someone else to be willing to step up as secretary.  Peaches moved that the council accept Jen’s resignation as secretary, Johnes seconded.  Motion passed.
 Johnes moved that the responsibility be rotated, Don seconded.  Motion not carried. Phil will take minutes in May. Peaches takes June.  Elections will be held in June.  Peaches moves that in May we will nominate candidates for offices.  Don seconded.  Approved.  George agrees to make template for the minutes.
Meeting adjourned 7:22 p.m.

Weds.  March 19, 2014
Present:  
George Alexander, Treasurer, H
Don Levy, H
Jennifer Sacco, H
Tad Weinstein, WH, chair
Peaches Quinn, vice chair, NH
Phil Kimmel, H
Meeting called to order 6:15 p.m.
Don proposed the name “CTAC award for public service and excellence in video production.”  Council agreed.
Section 1
Purpose: split into 3 bulleted items instead of the 2 listed on the proposal by splitting the second bulleted point
Section 2
Academic years will be 2014-2015, and again in 2015-2016.
Include CTV as a venue for possible airing of PSAs created, and remove AT&T as a venue since they aren’t supporting it.  Just CTV and Comcast New Haven.  And Youtube.
Section 3
Intended group is public, middle grades  students (grades 6, 7, and 8), at least for the first year.
Section 4
Video content will be a PSA or mini-documentary
Section 5
Change who will submit the product—should be a teacher or supervising faculty/staff member on behalf of their students.
Section 6
Prizes will be awarded to the supervising faculty/staff member, to be used on behalf of students, club, or organization who submitted the winning entry with the discretion/supervision of the faculty/staff member.
Section 7
Maximum length should be 5 minutes including credits
Requirement that permission be given to CTV and for Comcast New Haven at no charge
Section 8
Criteria
Originality
Creative/effective use of media (e.g. art, music, photo, graphics)
Special effects
Production values
Narrative quality
Compelling message
Adherence to the rules of submission
Section 9
How to announce to target groups: include announcement on CTV bulletin board
Section 10
Phil volunteered to contact the school systems and produce a list of contacts we will send to directly (superintendents to begin with )
Tad and Don will experiment with Microsoft publisher to make a document template.  We need: a letterhead; the content of a cover letter; the details of the contest.  We will hire someone to format the content on behalf of the group, with a budget of up to $50 to do this.  Peaches will identify a person to create the content for us.

Meeting adjourned 7:50.