1/10/2006 CABLE AND ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE Minutes

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Suggested Copy for Cable Committee web Page Cable television was still in its infancy in the 1os and it�� tuntil the and 1980s that Ma.shpee's Board of Selectmen began discussing the posibty of bringing this new technology to the residents. A committee was appointed by the Board of Selectmen to look into the feasibility of bringing Cable to Mashpee. The first committee consisted of Michael Pietrowski, audio/visual instructor at the Mashpee School Cheryl Nicks, Ernest Virgilio, Janice MiH , Sheila Pocknett,Marcia Busby and Robert Courtemanche. The committee proposed the town consider: 1. Biding, owning and maintaining its own system at a cost o million . Putting in a head-end in the town for a cost of neon, and Letting a private company construct and maintain the system. The original..committee resigned in 1987 and a new one was formed that continued on with the proposals for cable television. That new committee consisted of Lev S. Schwartz,, Matthew Malone,, Andrew liason,,R.obert Sullivan-and Leo Toro. Michael Pietrowski remained as a non- voting member/advisor. Andrew Eliason was chosen as its chailperson and remains in that position today. Continental Cablevision(.American Cable Systems)won the bid in 1989,but it wasn"t until 1990 that the"r-plan-C"was completed and the first cable television sets were turned on i Mashpee. There was also a matter of buying out and rebuilding a service, "Channel I"which served only New S eabury. The original contract caped for a 10-year license, h icb expired in 2000 and was ratified in 1999 for another 10-year period. During the 10—years, Continental was acquired by Media One and subsequently became AT&T which sola to Comcast; While Mashpee had a stan&aloz-e system for those ten years,this newest license G999—2009)was negotiated with a consortium of six other Cape communities. The thought ofjoining forces was to increase the number of subscribers, using that:as more bargaining power m obtaining specific services for all the coy unties involved. The other communities in the consortium were Chatham, Dennis,Provin etowu, T ro, weUfleet and Yjmouth. Over the span of gears from the original committee, new members were added to the roster of conittee members and others deleted. Edward Deusser, wally Dudack, Douglas Young, Joseph Rintone, Joseph Delagall.and Maijorie,I atsouliis,j*oin d and subsequently resigned. The committee today consists of Andrew Eliason,, Chairperson and members Lolita MeRay and,Tim Chishohn. Joyce Mason, then Acting Town Astrator, was the liaison with the Board of Selectmen and the Consortium of Boards and authorities in the other towns and assisted in the design of the cur " current license with Comcast. Joyce Mason then became own.Manager r d her position on the committee was taken Jim Maher. 4 7) Since the reviewo bids and proposals is no longer i . pan sue, the committee remains as a proactive groin acting as a"watchdog"', overseeing the service aspects of cable in Mashpee. They also meet with the cable representatives on a periodic basis, airing issues about Public Access,the Govemment Channel, rates and mediation of some customer complaints. According to Andrew Eliasort, Chairperson, the committee's responsibility as a committee continues to oversee the disbursement of funds from the Cable company. These funds were negotiated for the purpose of updating and maintaining equipment acquir-mg ani anent,for the improvement of communications tin withm" the communi as well as staff! for videoing town government events. The con ittee advises the Board of Selectmen on new technology d - �-anany legislative changes taking place in the industry. These changes include mergers, alternate providers and service enhancements from telephone and cable providers.