2009-02-25 CC Packet w/Set Agenda

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North Metro Telecommunications Commission Meeting Talking Points February 18,2009 ~ NMTV staff will be participating in MACTA's (Minnesota Association of Cable Television Administrators) Day at the Capitol on February 26th. Staffwill meet with our local legislators to talk about preserving community television and to interview them for the weekly news program City Scope. ~ NMTV's new promotional bookmarks are available to the public at the Anoka County Library branch across from the NMTV studio. Staff is coordinating their availability at other branches throughout our member cities as well. ~ The Commission went into closed session to consider what action should be taken as a result of Corneas!' s failure to provide requested documents necessary to perform a franchise fee audit, and Comcast's failure to cure the notice of violation they were issued on November 20,2008. l- After the meeting was reopened to the public, the Commission adopted Resolution 2009-3, authorizing the Executive Director of the Cable Commission to draw on the letter of credit and setting a hearing for any written objections. The deadline for written objections is March 4"', 2009. The public hearing, to consider objections, will be held at the March 18th, 2009 Commission meeting. ~ The North Metro TV 2009 Annual Report was reviewed and approved. The report, along with a DVD highlighting some of the promos, sponsorship spots, and local business spotlight segments, will be mailed to each individual council member. ~ The franchise fee payment to cities was approved. The checks were delivered to cities on Thursday February 19th. ~ The Commission is participating in the filing of comments with the FCC on public access channel carriage issues. In other parts of the country, Comcast has tried to move public access channels to the upper reaches of the digital tier, without permission of cities. This could result in the channels being difficult to find or require people to purchase a more exPensive programming package in order to receive public access channels. If anyone has any questions, or just wants to talk, they should feel free to call Heidi Amson at NMTV. Direct line is 763-231-2801. Email is h-arnson@mtn.org.