January 4, 2023 Minutes
Minutes from the Cable Television Advisory Council
Zoom Meeting for January 4th, 2023
Advisors Present:
Johnes Ruta – Chairperson & turn for Secretary (New Haven)
George Alexander – Treasurer (Hamden)
Peaches Quinn – Advisor (New Haven)
Melissa Canham-Clyne – Advisor (Hamden)
Yvonne Manning-Jones – Advisor (New Haven)
Tom Costa – Advisor (New Haven Library System)
Providers:
Joe Schofield – CTV Representative – Absent
Amy Horan – Comcast Representative – Absent
I. Call to Order & Roll Call: 6:06 Meeting held via Zoom.
II. Minutes
a. November Minutes. George makes Motion to approve. Peaches Quinn seconds the Motion.
Vote unanimous.
b. December Minutes – Minutes were not recorded officially as the meeting at Wood n Tap
Restaurant did not have a quorum.
III. Treasurer’s Report George Alexander:
a. YTD funds balance: $4,655.42 was reduced by the December meeting dinner check at
Wood n Tap by $271.54.
b. Connex reported an attempt to change the VISA password December 14, the same night
our dinner at Wood n Tap, and also again on 12/15. Peaches and I compare the credit-card
account numbers on our cards – which are different as they should be.
c. Amy Horan from Comcast had sent a request to confirm George Alexander’s mailing
address, in advance of sending the annual check from Comcast for the CTAC Budget.
IV. CTV – Executive Director Joseph Schofield – No Report received.
V. Comcast –– Comcast Representative Amy Horan – No report.
VI. Old Business
a. George Alexander invited Walt Bradley, formerly of CTV, to attend our Wednesday meeting on the prospect for Walt to join CTAC as Hamden advisor, as we have a vacancy for a Hamden advisor.. Walt has not attended this meeting.
b. The Council discusses strategies to enlist new members for vacant seats of CTAC,
especially West Haven which is currently not represented.
c. Peaches discusses CTAC Facebook updates which Yvonne has offered to perform
“as a citizen volunteer.”
d. Community Awards: Johnes questions whether there were be any Community Awards given for 2023. Melissa says that she and Yvonne are working on these, and developing award criteria for selection.
e. George recommends that CTAC decide on not-for-profit organizations as had been arranged in the past. One organization is the Q-House in Hamden, and the other the Hannah Grey
Center in New Haven, which are both in need of support. Johnes agrees that this is
a worthwhile purpose.
VII. New Business
a. George states that he has tried to remove Laurel Coleman’s, Tad Weinstein, and Anthony
Cardo’s names from the GoDaddy Microsoft-365 CTACForward group distribution list,
and to add Walter Bradley’s email address. But was unable to effect this task, as he attempted
to contact the Comcast Help Line, but was redirected to Microsoft, and waited on hold for
23 minutes on the first attempt call, and 42 minutes on the second call attempt. His call was
then redirected to Comcast. George says he is unable to make any changes to the Distribution
List.
b. Peaches asks George what is the advantage to use the Microsoft app, when it is impossible
to maintain up to date. ?
c. Legislation: CT Senate Bill SB278 – Changes to the fee schedule for the distribution of
the 85 cent charge to be added to the non-Cable-TV subscription customer bills. Peaches
recounts her discovery this amendment on the Senate Bill had been excised from the
Final version of the Bill – and with it, the entire clause for the ongoing support of
Community Access channels, citizens television, and the Cable Advisory groups,
(and possibly CTAC groups) – being deliberately sabotaged !. At the last minute,
the Office of Legislative Research detected that the Bill was deleting all Public
Access TV, and they called the Assembly back into session, and replaced it was a clause
for a two-year study. Peaches explains the Streaming Services still will not be required
to collect the 85 cent fee per internet subscription bill.
d. Tom reports that the CTAC 1990s Archiving Project at the New Haven Public Library
is still ongoing, presently waiting for staff assignments to be replenished there.
e. Subscriber Correspondence – none.
VIII. Meeting Adjournment
George makes Motion to adjourn. Peaches second this Motion. Carried.
Meeting Adjourned at 7:05 pm.
The next CTAC meeting set for Wednesday, February 1st, 2023, at 6:00 PM
via Zoom. January Minutes submitted by Johnes Ruta 01/30/2023.