2001-01-23CABLE TV ADVISORY COMMISSION
City of Beverly, Massachusetts
Al Torsey, chairman; Dan Murphy, Amy Siemasko, Robert Lee,
Arthur Crandall, George Johnson
Meeting of January 23. 2001
Beverly Public Library 8 a.m.
Present: Chairman Al Tomey, Dan Murphy, Amy Siemasko, Arthur Crandall
Absent. George Johnson, Robert Lee
Also attending. William August, Esq., Attorney at Law, Epstein & August, Boston;
Tom Scully, Director of Community Services; Jane Lyman for AT&T Broadband.
Lyman asked that a permanent site for the broadcast of School Committee meetings be
established so that the cost of video equipment can be determined.
August said that Cable TV Advisory Commission was leaning in the direction of
establishing an Access Corp. studio model. He presented a comprehensive list of proposed
expenditures for operating, set-up and moving.
Members discussed possible strategies for pass-through fees to consumers in the new
license.
Lyman said that history has shown that operation of an Access Corp. and Local Origination
studio in shared space doesn t work because of conflicting priorities.
August asked that AT&T revisit that position and asked for further discussion.
He said that legally an Access Corp. cannot be excluded from licensed studio space.
Lyman agreed to take proposed cost figures under advisement.
Lengthy discussion ensued on the operation and costs of operating a new I-Net system
that would link all public schools and municipal buildings.
The next meeting will be January 30, 2001 at 8 a.m. at the Beverly Public Library.