Minutes of the HACTAC Meeting of October 15, 2003
Attendance:
Dick Ostop, Peter Stempien, Dave Raney, Carol Hartman, Richard Brimley, Mayme Casady, Irene Cone, Mark Harutunian, Ed Gittleman, Hyacinth Yennie, Kristen Roberts (Comcast). Michael Paine excused absence.
Guest: None
The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m.
Note: All attachments referenced in these minutes are available either on mentioned email addresses or at your public library.
Minutes: Motion to accept September 2003 minutes was made by Carol Hartman and seconded by Dave Raney. Subject to following change: Mr. Gittleman was present at the meeting. Motion was passed unanimously.
Treasurer's Report:
Prior to the report Dick Ostop announced that Kristen Roberts had found and brought to the meeting the missing $2,000 from fourth quarter of 2001.
Mayme Casady read the report for the periods from 08/01/03 – 08/31/03 (corrected)
And 08/31/03 - 09/30/03
Balance ending $1,655.26.
A motion was made by Peter Stempien and seconded by Mark Harutunian to accept the report subject to audit. Motion passed unanimously.
.
Town Reports:
Windsor: Carol Hartman indicated that there was a problem with the signal from Windsor and all three channels were out. Kristen Roberts indicated that she was aware of the problem and that it was being fixed. It was due to a faulty wire found when ‘On Demand” was being installed.
Simsbury: Taped and broadcast all candidates for elections. There were twenty-three candidates.
Bloomfield: No report.
Hartford (Schools): no report.
Hartford (Town): Hyacinth Yennie said that new programs are being broadcast on the channels. The DPUC will have a tour of the new broadcast facilities on October 28, at 7 PM. Ostop suggested that the January meeting be held at the new station so that we could all see the new station facilities. Hyacinth stated she would ask Stan (station manager) to see if this could be arranged.
West Hartford: No report.
East Hartford: International Baccalaureate program in Windsor features two students in the program creating a video explaining East Hartford Access station.
COMCAST:
NOTE: All complete reports appear in the DPUC reports available on line from the DPUC see below for e-mail address.
Kristen Roberts indicated that Comcast would install “On Demand”. “On Demand” will be available in 2004. This feature involves all stations (HBO, NBC etc) that have a contract with Comcast. This feature will allow users to listen to programs at the time they want.
Peter Stempien asked if this was like TIVO and Kristen stated in some ways yes but TIVO is trademarked and therefore different. HDTV has been launched. Comcast worked with the Salvation Army on the Day of Caring day. This event was a great success with eighty employees participating. Kristen indicated that all would be invited to a Mark Twain event on October 30. Comcast is donating $25,000 to the program.
Dick Ostop brought forth several items that he felt was troubling subscribers. These items are a summary of complaints, which he has heard throughout the past several months.
(From last month’s meeting)
“There still is a problem with regards to the billing issues. The senior citizens still have a problem with the perception that the service is being cut off. Speller of Comcast indicated that a person could always request a different billing cycle to meet the time of the availability of funds to the seniors.”
Roberts indicated that the only way changes can be done is for each individual with a problem to call COMCAST about the problem and request their billing cycle be changed.
“The problem of rate increases without the council being informed.”
Roberts indicated that COMCAST could not notify HACTAC before the DPUC is notified. She stated that there would be some rate increases in the future. The reason given by Roberts was competition. Dick Ostop said that this was a problem. He stated that the Council’s job is to advise the company and to provide public input. If HACTAC is not informed there is not way that we can provide this input. Ostop indicated that Tony Speller indicated that HACTAC has the right to have input and be part of the process. Roberts iterated that an increase would occur, so give some input now. Ostop stated that we need some time to format the input, at least one meeting. Yennie indicated that Speller had agreed that the Council and Comcast should forge a partnership to help each other. She stated the partnership we want to
create with Comcast starts at the ground level and is built up. Unless issues are brought in early, we will not be able to assist. Kristen Roberts indicated that by November she would have a better idea what this increase will be and will inform us.
Dave Raney asked how the “On Demand” programming would work for people trying to take classes at different times. He stated that with the TIVO product he could get televised classes taped and then played later. Kristen stated that all under “on Demand”, these programs would only be available if there exists a contract between Comcast and the network.
Hartman asked if the new feature is only on the upper tiers and/or digital. If this so then the basic and/or analog tiers should not go up. Carol indicated that older and lower income people need to be considered. Peter Stempien said that a report on senior needs was due back from Comcast. Roberts indicated that senior discounts do exist. There are income requirements on these issues. Mark Harutunian stated that most companies give a flat ten percent discount for senior citizens. He stated that seniors are due the care and respect from working people. Roberts stated that we should be happy that there are senior discounts due to anyone. Other parts of the country do not have any. A discussion then took place over the advantage to assist seniors with discounts as all of the major retailers currently do. Peter
Stempien indicated there is little difference between Cable and Dish other than the access stations. If rates continue to go up then more and more subscribers will go to the competition.
Committee Reports:
Scholarship Committee: No report.
Legislative: No report.
Public Relations: Cannot finish the website and need help.
Motion made by Ed Gittleman seconded by Peter Stempien to place a request for services ad in the paper for help on the website. Motion passed unanimously
Access Stations: No report.
Nominating Committee: No report (meeting was not held, will report in November).
WIN-TV Committee: Committee has met and sent to WIN-TV for information concerning these complaints. (Minutes, board of directors, rules regulations ETC.)
Correspondence. Only one piece of correspondence is listed.
Complaints: Stempien asked if a process had been installed to notify Ostop when an email complaint has been addressed since he only knows the email address and not the home name or address. Roberts indicated that the company is trying to address this situation.
Dave Raney questioned what was going to happen with Earthlink. He has heard nothing other than Comcast was going to address this issue. Kristen Roberts indicated that she would get back to David Raney
Old Business:
Peter Stempien asked about Michael Paine’s complaint about getting access station’s free access to the Internet. Contract gave 5 cents more per subscriber to pay for this. The real question is the rate stations are being charged.
New Business:
The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 PM. The next meeting is:
Nov 19, 2003 7:00 PM
Simsbury Eno Hall
750 Hopmeadow Street
Simsbury, CT
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