Official city Web site's description of Telecom board and its function

Telecommunications Board

The Telecommunications Board, formerly known as the Cable Board, was created by City Ordinance No. 3549 on May 21, 1991.  On February 1, 2000, the Cable Board was renamed Telecommunications Board by Ordinance No. 4219.  On July 15, 2003, Ordinance No. 4504 was created to redefine the composition, officers, staffing, procedures, and the duties of the Board.  The purpose of the Telecommunications Board is to advise the City Council on telecommunication issues and to coordinate and oversee telecommunications franchise systems and use of the public rights of way designated for public access, educational, and governmental (PEG) use in the City of Fayetteville as part of the City’s telecommunication infrastructure.

Telecom agenda REVISED to accommodate city staff members

TELECOMMUNICATION BOARD MEETING AGENDA

5:30 p.m.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

City Administration Building, Room 219

113 West Mountain Street

 Call to Order and Roll Call 

(1) Approval of May 20, 2010, and June 17, 2010, meeting minutes

(2) Adoption of July 15, 2010, agenda

 Old Business

(3) University of  Arkansas Television Report 

     UATV quarterly report

     UATV contract issues 

(4) Cox Communication Report 

(5) AT&T progress discussion

(6) Government channel 16 Television Report.

(7) CAT 18 Television Report from Cable Access Television interim administrator or newly hired manager or both

Representative of CAT Board. 

(8) Presentation by Don Marr, mayor's chief of staff, and presentation of a proposed policy document compiled by Fritz Gisler, cable administrator.

(9) Telecom Board policy subcommittee discussion and latest version of policy document from committee.

 Telecom Board recommendations to the City Council on the Government Channel Policy. At least three key points remain for full board discussion:

a. Restoration of local registered voters' right to request Government Channel public forums on subjects of concern to residents of the coverage area.

b. Level of priority for emergency requests for coverage of local-government meetings that, if not recorded by Government Channel, would result in a violation of the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act. 

c. Clarification of wording of policy document to guarantee that meetings be recorded from beginning to end and be aired in full with editing limited to addition of graphic elements standard for such telecasts.

(10) Report from the Internet committee on future meeting plan. 

(11) Report from committee on proposed brainstorming session. 

(12) Consideration of chairman's 2009 report before it is forwarded to City Council.

New business

(13) Compliments

(14) Complaints

(15) Coverage-area residents' comments*

(16) Agenda for August 19, 2010, meeting

(17) Announcements from Board Members 

Adjournment

*   Residents of the coverage area of the PEG channels wishing to address matters on the agenda may make comments when the Board addresses the item, subject to time limitations the Board may establish.

 Residents wishing to address matters not on the agenda may make comments during resident comments, subject to such time limitations as the board may establish. The Board, however, shall not act on such matters. Latecomers may comment at this time on agenda items discussed before their arrival.

Telecommunication Board's agenda for July 15, 2010, meeting

TELECOMMUNICATION BOARD MEETING AGENDA

5:30 p.m.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

City Administration Building, Room 219

113 West Mountain Street

 Call to Order and Roll Call 

(1) Approval of May 20, 2010, and June 17, 2010, meeting minutes

(2) Adoption of July 15, 2010, agenda

 Old Business

(3) University of  Arkansas Television Report 

     UATV quarterly report

     UATV contract issues 

(4) Cox Communication Report 

(5)AT&T progress discussion

(6) Government channel 16 Television Report.

(7) CAT 18 Television Report from Cable Access Television interim administrator or newly hired manager or both

Representative of CAT Board. 

(8) Telecom Board policy subcommittee discussion and latest version of policy document from committee.

 Telecom Board recommendations to the City Council on the Government Channel Policy. At least three key points remain for full board discussion:

a. Restoration of local registered voters' right to request Government Channel public forums on subjects of concern to residents of the coverage area.

b. Level of priority for emergency requests for coverage of local-government meetings that, if not recorded by Government Channel, would result in a violation of the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act. 

c. Clarification of wording of policy document to guarantee that meetings be recorded from beginning to end and be aired in full with editing limited to addition of graphic elements standard for such telecasts.

(9) Report from the Internet committee on future meeting plan. 

(10) Report from committee on proposed brainstorming session. 

(11) Consideration of chairman's 2009 report before it is forwarded to City Council.
New business

(12) Presentation by Don Marr, mayor's chief of staff.

(13) Fritz Gisler's presentation of a proposed policy document he compiled.

(14)Compliments

(15) Complaints

(16) Coverage-area residents' comments*

(17) Agenda for August 19, 2010, meeting

(18) Announcements from Board Members 

Adjournment

*   Residents of the coverage area of the PEG channels wishing to address matters on the agenda may make comments when the Board addresses the item, subject to time limitations the Board may establish.

 Residents wishing to address matters not on the agenda may make comments during resident comments, subject to such time limitations as the board may establish. The Board, however, shall not act on such matters. Latecomers may comment at this time on agenda items discussed before their arrival.

Telecommunication-board meeting set for July 15, 2010, message on meeting rooms and sound-recording equipment

TO:                 Members of City Boards, Commissions and Committees

FROM:           Don Marr, City of Fayetteville Chief of Staff

DATE:           June 8, 2010

SUBJECT:    Coverage of meetings by The Fayetteville Government Channel

            As a member of a City of Fayetteville Board, Commission or Committee, we appreciate tremendously the time, effort, and commitment you provide for the City of Fayetteville. It is citizens like you that help make our City as great as it is, and we thank you for your service. It is also service like yours that has helped make Fayetteville a state-recognized Volunteer Community of the Year.  Thank you!

            As you are probably aware, The City of Fayetteville operates The Fayetteville Government Channel, which provides television coverage of the meetings of City of Fayetteville Boards, Commissions and Committees for the citizens of Fayetteville.

            While not every meeting receives coverage, most likely there will be a time when you will be in a meeting that is being covered by The Fayetteville Government Channel. I wanted to provide you with a few pointers and some information that can make your participation in these filmed meetings better for both those attending the meetings in person and those viewing at home.  The ability for audiences in the meeting room, watching on TV, or viewing the meeting on the City’s website www.accessfayetteville.org to hear and see all that is taking place in the meeting is of prime importance to The City of Fayetteville and a major part of the initiatives of assuring open government and an informed citizenry.  Also, your ideas are important, and we want to do everything possible to assure that your ideas are effectively heard by the audiences.  Below are a few broad recommendations that will assist in these goals:

1. Be aware of your audience. Remember there are people there in the room, and there are people watching on television. When you talk, speak loudly enough that the people in the room can hear you clearly.
    
2. Some rooms have microphones on the tables. If there are microphones on the tables, please use one. If you do not see microphones on the tables, they are mounted somewhere else. Just speak in a way that everyone in the room can hear you clearly and the television audience can hear your comments as well.
   
   
3. When using a microphone, place it about a foot away and pointed at you, and talk in a normal tone of voice. If it is too close to your mouth, your voice will sound overly loud and distorted. If it is too far away, your voice may not be heard at all.
   
   
4. You may be on camera, whether you are speaking or not. It is not our intention to make you uncomfortable, but to make you aware. The audience in the room may be paying attention to the person speaking, but the camera may be on a wider shot and see you as well.
   
   
5. If a meeting is not called to order by the Chair within 15 minutes of its scheduled start time, the Fayetteville Government Channel staff may leave and not provide coverage for the meeting.  This is to help minimize costs associated with having city staff waiting to film a meeting that will not take place for reasons such as lack of a quorum.
   
   
6. The Fayetteville Government Channel may not cover meetings in which no business is conducted.

7. The camera is in the meeting room in the role of an observer, so please avoid addressing the camera directly when speaking in a meeting.  You are encouraged to engage in your meeting in the same way you would if the camera was not present.  Fayetteville Government Channel coverage of meetings is direct, non-editorial programming regarding the operations and deliberations of the City government, not a mechanism for building support for a particular policy, program, or issue.  If you would like to present government-related information to the television audience directly, the Fayetteville Government Channel can assist you in producing an informational program that can be telecast on the Channel.

We appreciate your involvement in helping make our City great. If you have any questions about the television coverage The Fayetteville Government Channel provides for your meetings or ways you think that the Fayetteville Government Channel can improve the viewing experience of government meetings, please call Fritz Gisler, the Manager of the City of Fayetteville Television Center, at 479-444-3434.  

Again, thank you for your service!