4/17/2015 BOARD OF SELECTMEN Minutes

Home Browse Search

2 Board of Selectmen Minutes April 17, 2015 Present: Selectman Taylor, Selectman Richardson, Selectman Sherman, Selectman Cahalane, Selectman Gottlieb Town Manager Joyce Mason Assistant Town Manager Tom Mayo Meeting Called to Order by Chairman Taylor at 9:30 a.m. OLD BUSINESS: Mashpee TV—Contract Discussion: The Board of Selectmen met on Friday for the purpose of reviewing a proposed contractual Agreement between the Town of Mashpee and Mashpee Community Media Center relative to the production and cablecasting of Public Education and Government Access programming in the Town of Mashpee. The current three-year contract is due to expire on May 21,2015. Selectman Gottlieb and the Assistant Town Administrator Tom Mayo negotiated the proposed contract with representatives of the Board of Directors of the Mashpee Community Media Center, a non-profit organization referenced as Mashpee TV. During the negotiation process, four main issues of the contract were discussed. This included audits,financial reporting, Channel 18 and funding. The Board of Selectmen reviewed the proposed three-year contract in detail and discussed areas deemed problematic including the lack of financial reporting,matters associated to Channel 18 cablecasting,communication, and the level of disdain towards the Mashpee municipality. In November,the Board of Selectmen issued a Notice of Non-Renewal of the Agreement with Mashpee TV in an effort to improve governmental coverage on Channel 18, open the lines of communication,and resolve financial reporting procedures. For the past three years,the Town of Mashpee has provided this service in-house. During the discussion, it was noted that Mashpee TV has provided good service and coverage of the schools. The matter was debated as was the lack of trust and disappointment with Mashpee TV's service. As a result,additional provisions to the proposed contract'were considered. The Town Manager recommended the Board consider reducing the proposed 3.5% allocation of Comcast funds to MTV to 3%bringing forth a clean and straight forward percentage for the next three-years. It was suggested the additional 1/2% be used as a future negotiating tool in ensuing years. It was noted the Town of Mashpee also contributed $200,000 towards the new endeavor to offset start-up fees.