August 5, 2015 Minutes

MINUTES of CTAC of Hamden, New Haven and West Haven

Meeting Date: August 5, 2015

Call to order: A regular monthly meeting of CTAC was held at CTV Offices at 843 State Street, New Haven, Connecticut, on Wednesday, August 5, 2015. President Tad Weinstein presiding. Don Levy Secretary. Meeting called to order at 6:05 p.m.

 

Members in attendance:

Tad Weinstein, Chair (WH)

Peaches Quinn, Vice Chair (NH)

George Alexander, Treasurer (H)

Don Levy, Secretary (H)

Johnes Ruta, (NH)

Martha Brogan, (NH)

 

Steve Gemmell, Local Manager, Field Operations, Frontier Communications

John Bairos, Manager, Government & Community Relations, COMCAST

 

Steve Gemmell of Frontier provided the monthly Frontier update. The report indicated public service projects and other community outreach. Steve reported that Frontier is currently hiring. Potential candidates should apply through the Frontier web site. Steve indicated he would reach out to CTV to restart the process to make sure CTV channels are available to Frontier subscribers in the three municipalities which comprise CTAC. Joe Schofield was not at the meeting. George Alexander said he was dissatisfied with the paucity of information provided with regard to movies available on Frontier.

John Bairos reported that COMCAST was continuing its Internet Essentials program which offers internet service to low-income subscribers at a steep discount for a fifth year.

Johnes Ruta initiated a discussion regarding the criteria COMCAST uses to add and drop channels. COMCAST’s John Bairos indicated that COMCAST focused on measures of popularity or of massive customer interest along with the cost involved. Johnes suggested that COMCAST also consider using the quality of content or the public service value of potential additional channels as factors to consider.

It was discovered that nobody had fulfilled CTAC’s commitment to send flowers to Sharon Codeanne as approves in the June meeting.  Peaches Quinn volunteered to get in touch with John Bairos to secure Sharon’s address so that this token of CTAC’s appreciation for Sharon’s fine work as COMCAST representative to CTAC could be provided.

Peaches noted that the CTAC bylaws indicates that each town should be represented by a member with an education background. Members present indicated that they would reach out to the education communities in their municipalities to seek new members.

Don noted that he did not hear from the International Festival of Arts and Ideas regarding his contact with the group. He indicated he would produce a rough draft of a flyer promoting the CTAC’s Public Service Video Grant program.

The minutes for the June meeting were approved.

The August regular meeting of CTAC was adjourned at 7:11 p.m.

Respectfully submitted by D. Levy, CTAC secretary