2001-01-30CABLE TV ADVISORY COMMISSION
City of Beverly, Massachusetts
Al Torsey, chairman; Dan Murphy, Amy Siemasko, Robert Lee,
Arthur Crandall, George Johnson
Meeting of January 30, 2001
Beverly Public Library - 8 a.m.
Present: Chairman Al Torsey, 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.
The Cable Advisory Commission (CAC) caucused at 8 a.m. The open session
commenced at 8:45 a.m.
Siemasko suggested a technical consultant be engaged to inventory equipment at
the Tozer Road studio to determine its age, status and usefulness. She said a technical
expert was needed to help with any transition to a new studio operation. Murphy will look
into this.
Jane Lyman, govemment relations director for AT&T Broadband, sent word that a
response was not yet ready to figures on a renewed license proposed by the CAC at the
January 23 meeting. She did not attend the meeting.
Discussion ensued on general parameters of an I-Net system in Beverly linking
schools and certain municipal buildings. It was stated that a proposal for linking sewerage
lift stations in the I-Net may be impractical.
Scully suggested checking with private contractors for estimates of I-Net installation
and maintenance.
Siemasko said it was important in any discussion of I-Net to consider maintenance.
,Scully described the library's current system of data transfer that he called "jury
rigged. He said if an I-Net is established certain economies might be possible by
transferring funds from the "jury rigged" system.
August suggested that an appropriate name be chosen if the CAC moves in the
direction of establishing an Access Corporation studio. He suggested Beverly Community
Access & Media (BevCAM). He explained articles of organization for establishment of an
Access Corp. He said the CAC would retain oversight of the new operation.
August said that establishment of an Access Corp. would be exempt from the
requirements of the state's bidding law, Chapter 30-B. It would be considered a single
source procurement.
It was agreed that the CAC would brief the mayor and school superintendent
concerning progress to date after the February 7 meeting.
The next meeting will be Feb. 7, 2001 at 8 a.m. at the Beverly Public Library.