Friday, August 12, 2011
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
In his Street Jazz post, Richard Drake asks when is a meeting not a meeting?
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Wednesday, August 3, 2011 - 10:15:58
Fayetteville Government Channel: When is a meeting not a meeting?
While not a monumental issue, perhaps, this may be of some importance for those who get most of their news about the inner workings of Fayetteville government from watching Fayetteville Government Channel.Fayetteville is fortunate in the regard that not only are meetings shown on FGC, but citizens have an opportunity to make a real difference by exploring issues even further on Fayetteville Public Access Television. Before FGC came into being in the early 1990s City Council (then City Board of Directors) meetings and Washington County Quorum Court meetings were both shown on Fayetteville Open Channel, the city’s access provider.
We all owe a great deal to the hardworking folks at FGC.
FGC attempts to show all of the meetings that time and money allow, but are there times when value judgments are being made, that some meetings are more equal than others?
Obviously, you have the meetings with more marquee value, such as City Council or Planning Commission meetings, but there are many other commissions, boards and committees which meet as well, and some may not be shown on FGC, simply because a quorum of its voting membership may not have shown up to a particular meeting.
Should this be the case? If no actual voting takes place, does the meeting then have no value for the viewing public?
Let’s take, for example, the Telecommunications Board. I’ll use this because I sat on (and chaired, okay) the board for several years. On more than one occasion we didn’t have a quorum of members show up at meetings.
Anyone familiar with committees (both government and non-profit) can attest to the fact that not everybody shows up when they should. It’s a pain in the neck, but it’s cold, hard reality.
So you can’t vote on anything. If you are a non-profit, well, you can just sit around and grouse and drink coffee (or whatever) and eat pizza. If you are a government body, you have a couple of choices.
You can fold up the deck chairs and go home.
That kind of sucks. Because not only the ones on the body who actually care about business have shown up, but folks at home turn on television and expect to be informed. To just say, “Well, looks like we’re all dressed up with no place to go. Better luck next time,” just seems sort of cavalier.
OR:
A board or committee could hold an “informational meeting.”
What’s an informational meeting when it’s at home, you ask, Gluttonous Reader? Well, in the specific case of the Telecom Board, there would be agencies which would come to make reports to the city, such as the public access provider, the Cable Administrator and UA TV.
The beauty of having an informational meeting was that, even though it wasn’t “official” (in that no votes were taken or calls to action called for) the board could still hear the reports.
More importantly, the viewing public(taxpayers/voters) could hear the reports, and know what was going in the world of Fayetteville Telecommunications. In the case of UA TV, falling back on informational meetings when you lacked a quorum was especially important, since they were only scheduled to come in every few months.
These folks don’t come before the boards and give their reports just to kill time, because they have nothing else to do that particular night. These are reports that they have worked hard on, and they deserve the respect to be heard, both by the board (even if not a quorum) and the public.
Is UATV performing well?
Is Fayetteville Public Access Television making new inroads into the ever increasing diversity that is Fayetteville?
How well is the Cable Administrator doing his job?
This is how the public learns, from these public reports, and learns even more from the questioning of Telecom Board members, which can go beyond the surface of the reports.
I have used the Telecom Board as an example, but fill in any name you want.
There is a school of thought that believes that if there if no quorum present nothing of interest is likely to be said in the room, but nothing could be further from the truth. I’m not sure how many folks in City Hall feel that way, but I’ve talked to more than a few FGC viewers, and they would like to see and hear what is going on.
******
Get rid of the “resume padders”
Some folks only apply for board positions because it looks good on a resume, and then they never show up at meetings. If you have those on your board, dump ‘em with the recycling.
Why the recycling? Because no doubt they will find another board they will con soon, and they will be dead weight there, as well, while they add another few lines to their resume.
*****
Quote of the Day
The contents of someone's bookcase are part of his history, like an ancestral portrait. - Anatole Broyard
rsdrake@cox.net
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Fayetteville Public Schools' report for July 2011 meeting of the Telecom Board: Thanks to Susan Norton
Report to Telecommunications Board
July 21, 2011
Information on TV & Multimedia Services
Fayetteville Public Schools’ TV & Multimedia Services department produces a broad range of media including: community interest stories, coverage of school events, student performances, athletics, professional development for teachers, and school board meetings. FPS has a state-of-the-art television studio used both by students in broadcast classes and by professional staff. Fayar.tv is the official broadcast station for the Fayetteville Public Schools.
Fayar.tv, is made possible by an agreement with the City of Fayetteville under its franchise agreements which provide for the cable companies to host an Education Channel as well as a Government and Public Access Channel. Fayar.tv is broadcast on Cox Channel 217 and Uverse 99. The district also serves up this programming via web stream on its home page: www.fayar.net.
The symbol [Picture]on the far bottom right of the home page will activate the stream.
Information on TV Programming Guidelines
Per specifications for broadcast content on the Fayetteville COX and AT&T U-Verse PEG channel use agreement with the city, the Fayetteville Public School District utilizes our educational channels to publish locally-produced content relating to the district, its student population and their parents. We broadcast athletic events and competitions, academic events and competitions, district and citywide social events, school specific events including theatrical, musical and academic events. We emphasize activities and events designed to engender familial and community interest and participation in the education of our youth. Additionally, we broadcast the monthly school board meetings to update community awareness of the decisions and directions of the district’s governing body.
We maintain an interstitial bulletin board and RSS feed from the district’s community web-blog to announce upcoming events, commendations awarded and other items of general interest to our community.
Also included in our daily offering are early programs, now in the public domain, for their historic content. These programs range from early motion pictures by Charlie Chaplin, screen plays produced from literary classics like Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist, Ernest Hemmingway’s A Farewell to Arms, Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book to name a few. We’ve also included a few cartoons like early Popeye and Betty Boop for their cinematic historical value. All selections are age appropriate and can be related to studies of World and American History, cinema and Americana.
Today's Schedule (July 20, 2011)
We invite the Telecommunications Board to offer feedback and guidance!
Next month, I will show you the new web pages we are launching to better showcase the work of the students and staff. For now, thanks!
Susan Norton
Chief Information Officer
Fayetteville Public Schools
Draft of complaint procedure compiled by city staff members
Complaint and Feedback Procedure for
The City of Fayetteville
Telecommunications Board
June 2011
The Telecommunications Board, through assistance of City Staff, will manage a process whereby residents can communicate their comments, complaints or feedback regarding:
a. The activity of the Telecommunications Board
b. The programming or operations of The Fayetteville Government Channel
c. The programming or operations of Fayetteville Public Access Television
d. The programming or operations of the Education Channel
e. The operations of the City of Fayetteville Television Center
f. Any other issue involving telecommunications or telecommunications services providers that have an impact on the residents of Fayetteville
Individuals may communicate comments, complaints or feedback by:
1. Contacting the Mayor’s designated City Staff liaison to the Telecommunications Board
2. Contacting a member of the Telecommunications Board
3. Communicating directly with the Board in a Board meeting
Complaints
Complaints regarding the operations or programming of The Government Channel or Fayetteville Public Access Television will be initially investigated and responded to by the respective management of each channel following currently established procedure. Each procedure provides for an appeal process.
It is the responsibility of the City Staff liaison to initially document, investigate and respond to any complaints communicated to the Telecommunications Board. A complaint will only be investigated and responded to if it is the desire of the complainant to file a formal complaint. To qualify as a formal complaint, the complaint must be submitted in writing with the complainant providing their name and contact information. The Staff liaison will make available a form that can be used to submit a formal complaint to the Telecommunications Board, and provide assistance to those requiring help in completing the form.
1. Complaints communicated to the City Staff liaison will be immediately investigated by the City Staff liaison in accordance with the procedure described herein.
2. For complaints communicated to a member of the Telecommunications Board, the complainant will be referred to the City Staff liaison for follow up.
3. Complaints that are presented directly to the Telecommunications Board at a Board meeting will be documented by the City Staff liaison for follow up. The complainant will be advised that the City Staff liaison will investigate the complaint and present findings to the complainant and the Telecommunications Board at its next regular meeting.
After a formal complaint is submitted, the Staff liaison will follow this procedure:
1. Document the complaint, recording:
a. Date
b. Time
c. Nature of the complaint
d. Contact information of the complainant
e. As many details as possible to facilitate the investigation of the complaint
2. Immediately communicate to the complainant their complaint is being investigated, and they will receive a preliminary response, in writing, regarding their complaint within 3 business days.
3. Advise the City’s Director of Communication of the complaint.
4. Investigate the complaint to determine all pertinent information, documenting the process, the findings and the recommendations of City Staff to the Telecommunications Board.
5. Provide a written response to the complainant detailing the investigation of their complaint, any findings thereof, and any initial action taken in response to the complaint. The complainant will be advised their complaint will be included on the agenda to be considered by the full Telecommunications Board at their next regular meeting. If the complaint is received within 15 days of a regular meeting of the Board, it will be scheduled to be heard at the subsequent regular meeting.
6. Provide all information regarding the complaint to members of the Telecommunications Board via the meeting information packet.
7. Document all action taken and information regarding the complaint, including any pertinent meeting minutes, and keep such documentation in a file in the archives of the Telecommunications Board.
When considering a complaint at a full meeting of the Telecommunications Board, the following procedure will be followed:
1. A new complaint will be an individual item of new business on the meeting agenda.
2. The City Staff liaison will present the results of their investigation of the complaint, along with any information regarding applicable laws, regulations or ordinances, and any other information that may be pertinent or useful to the Telecommunications Board in making any determinations.
3. The complainant will be provided an opportunity to present any information and their position regarding the complaint.
4. The Telecommunications Board will discuss the complaint and ask any questions that may be necessary of either the City Staff liaison or the complainant.
5. The Board will present its determination and vote on the subsequent action.
In response to the complaint The Telecommunications Board may take one of the following actions:
1. The Board requires further information, or investigation of the complaint.
2. Determine the complaint is unfounded; no further action to be taken by the Telecommunications Board.
3. Determine the complaint is valid; no further action to be taken by the Telecommunications Board.
4. Determine the complaint is valid; The Telecommunications Board directs City Staff to present the complaint to the City Council. If this action is selected, the Telecommunications Board must state the action they are advising the City Council to take.
Consideration and response to complaints will follow all administrative and meeting conduct rules and procedures, including a formal motion and vote on the action to be taken. In all cases, the Board must provide supporting reasons and justifications for the determination and action taken.
After the Board has determined action, the City Staff liaison will provide a written response to the complainant within three (3) business days, detailing the complaint, the action taken by the Telecommunications Board, the justification and reasons for the action taken, and the process for appealing the action of the Telecommunications Board, should the complainant so desire.
The City of Fayetteville
Telecommunications Board
June 2011
The Telecommunications Board, through assistance of City Staff, will manage a process whereby residents can communicate their comments, complaints or feedback regarding:
a. The activity of the Telecommunications Board
b. The programming or operations of The Fayetteville Government Channel
c. The programming or operations of Fayetteville Public Access Television
d. The programming or operations of the Education Channel
e. The operations of the City of Fayetteville Television Center
f. Any other issue involving telecommunications or telecommunications services providers that have an impact on the residents of Fayetteville
Individuals may communicate comments, complaints or feedback by:
1. Contacting the Mayor’s designated City Staff liaison to the Telecommunications Board
2. Contacting a member of the Telecommunications Board
3. Communicating directly with the Board in a Board meeting
Complaints
Complaints regarding the operations or programming of The Government Channel or Fayetteville Public Access Television will be initially investigated and responded to by the respective management of each channel following currently established procedure. Each procedure provides for an appeal process.
It is the responsibility of the City Staff liaison to initially document, investigate and respond to any complaints communicated to the Telecommunications Board. A complaint will only be investigated and responded to if it is the desire of the complainant to file a formal complaint. To qualify as a formal complaint, the complaint must be submitted in writing with the complainant providing their name and contact information. The Staff liaison will make available a form that can be used to submit a formal complaint to the Telecommunications Board, and provide assistance to those requiring help in completing the form.
1. Complaints communicated to the City Staff liaison will be immediately investigated by the City Staff liaison in accordance with the procedure described herein.
2. For complaints communicated to a member of the Telecommunications Board, the complainant will be referred to the City Staff liaison for follow up.
3. Complaints that are presented directly to the Telecommunications Board at a Board meeting will be documented by the City Staff liaison for follow up. The complainant will be advised that the City Staff liaison will investigate the complaint and present findings to the complainant and the Telecommunications Board at its next regular meeting.
After a formal complaint is submitted, the Staff liaison will follow this procedure:
1. Document the complaint, recording:
a. Date
b. Time
c. Nature of the complaint
d. Contact information of the complainant
e. As many details as possible to facilitate the investigation of the complaint
2. Immediately communicate to the complainant their complaint is being investigated, and they will receive a preliminary response, in writing, regarding their complaint within 3 business days.
3. Advise the City’s Director of Communication of the complaint.
4. Investigate the complaint to determine all pertinent information, documenting the process, the findings and the recommendations of City Staff to the Telecommunications Board.
5. Provide a written response to the complainant detailing the investigation of their complaint, any findings thereof, and any initial action taken in response to the complaint. The complainant will be advised their complaint will be included on the agenda to be considered by the full Telecommunications Board at their next regular meeting. If the complaint is received within 15 days of a regular meeting of the Board, it will be scheduled to be heard at the subsequent regular meeting.
6. Provide all information regarding the complaint to members of the Telecommunications Board via the meeting information packet.
7. Document all action taken and information regarding the complaint, including any pertinent meeting minutes, and keep such documentation in a file in the archives of the Telecommunications Board.
When considering a complaint at a full meeting of the Telecommunications Board, the following procedure will be followed:
1. A new complaint will be an individual item of new business on the meeting agenda.
2. The City Staff liaison will present the results of their investigation of the complaint, along with any information regarding applicable laws, regulations or ordinances, and any other information that may be pertinent or useful to the Telecommunications Board in making any determinations.
3. The complainant will be provided an opportunity to present any information and their position regarding the complaint.
4. The Telecommunications Board will discuss the complaint and ask any questions that may be necessary of either the City Staff liaison or the complainant.
5. The Board will present its determination and vote on the subsequent action.
In response to the complaint The Telecommunications Board may take one of the following actions:
1. The Board requires further information, or investigation of the complaint.
2. Determine the complaint is unfounded; no further action to be taken by the Telecommunications Board.
3. Determine the complaint is valid; no further action to be taken by the Telecommunications Board.
4. Determine the complaint is valid; The Telecommunications Board directs City Staff to present the complaint to the City Council. If this action is selected, the Telecommunications Board must state the action they are advising the City Council to take.
Consideration and response to complaints will follow all administrative and meeting conduct rules and procedures, including a formal motion and vote on the action to be taken. In all cases, the Board must provide supporting reasons and justifications for the determination and action taken.
After the Board has determined action, the City Staff liaison will provide a written response to the complainant within three (3) business days, detailing the complaint, the action taken by the Telecommunications Board, the justification and reasons for the action taken, and the process for appealing the action of the Telecommunications Board, should the complainant so desire.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Telecom Board agenda for Thursday, July 21, 2011
Staff Representatives
Don Marr
Chief of Staff
Lindsley Smith
Communications Director
Fritz Gisler
Government Channel Manager
Committee Members
Aubrey Shepherd, Chairman
Blake Pennington
Michael Spencer
Mike Ehrig
Mike Russell
Russ Davis
Steve Smith
Final Agenda
City of Fayetteville Arkansas
Telecommunication Board
July 21, 2011
A meeting of the Telecommunication Board will be held at 5:30 P.M. July 21, 2011, in Room 326 of the City Administration Building at 113 West Mountain Street, Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Call to Order
Call roll and WELCOME new members, Michael Ehrig and Steven Smith, to the board and thank previous members for service.
(1) Approval of May 2011 meeting minutes
(2) Adoption of July 21, 2011, agenda
(3) Government Channel Television Report
(4) Public Access Television Report from Fayetteville Public Access Television by Your Media Executive Director or representative of Your Media Board.
(5) Education Channel Report from a representative of the Fayetteville Public School system.
(6) Report from complaint-subcommittee that met Wednesday.
(7) Invite new members to join the Internet sub-committee and complaint-policy committee
(8) Telecom Board discussion of Cox Cable's changes in channel lineup affecting PEG channels. How can we make the public more aware of where to find the public stations?
(9) Compliments, complaints and coverage-area residents’ comments*
(10) Agenda suggestions for August 18, 2011, meeting. Election of chairman and vice chairman to be held in August.
(11) Announcements from Board Members
(12 ) Adjournment
*The public will be invited to speak after each presentation. but the comment period near the end of the meeting will offer the public time to speak about any previous item or to bring up questions, complaints, complaints and suggestions for future agenda items considered important.
Don Marr
Chief of Staff
Lindsley Smith
Communications Director
Fritz Gisler
Government Channel Manager
Committee Members
Aubrey Shepherd, Chairman
Blake Pennington
Michael Spencer
Mike Ehrig
Mike Russell
Russ Davis
Steve Smith
Final Agenda
City of Fayetteville Arkansas
Telecommunication Board
July 21, 2011
A meeting of the Telecommunication Board will be held at 5:30 P.M. July 21, 2011, in Room 326 of the City Administration Building at 113 West Mountain Street, Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Call to Order
Call roll and WELCOME new members, Michael Ehrig and Steven Smith, to the board and thank previous members for service.
(1) Approval of May 2011 meeting minutes
(2) Adoption of July 21, 2011, agenda
(3) Government Channel Television Report
(4) Public Access Television Report from Fayetteville Public Access Television by Your Media Executive Director or representative of Your Media Board.
(5) Education Channel Report from a representative of the Fayetteville Public School system.
(6) Report from complaint-subcommittee that met Wednesday.
(7) Invite new members to join the Internet sub-committee and complaint-policy committee
(8) Telecom Board discussion of Cox Cable's changes in channel lineup affecting PEG channels. How can we make the public more aware of where to find the public stations?
(9) Compliments, complaints and coverage-area residents’ comments*
(10) Agenda suggestions for August 18, 2011, meeting. Election of chairman and vice chairman to be held in August.
(11) Announcements from Board Members
(12 ) Adjournment
*The public will be invited to speak after each presentation. but the comment period near the end of the meeting will offer the public time to speak about any previous item or to bring up questions, complaints, complaints and suggestions for future agenda items considered important.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Telecommunication board information and member list as of June 2011, according to the list on the city Web site
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.
Contact
Lindsley Smith, (479) 575-8330Terms
Staggered four-year terms.
Membership
The Board shall be composed of seven members as follows:
- Seven members from the public-at-large with experience in any one of the following areas:
Telecommunications infrastructure management, public policy development regarding communication and telecommunications issues, television, or other appropriate expertise. Members shall be registered voters and residents of the City of Fayetteville, and shall have resided therein for at least six months prior to their appointment.
Appointment
Vacancies on the Board are filled by appointment from the governing body of the City.
Public Notification
A weekly meetings list is prepared by the City Clerk’s office which is distributed to the press and posted on the City’s web site: www.accessfayetteville.org
Meeting Times
Regular meetings are held the third Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in Room 219 of the City Administration Building.City of Fayetteville Appointees
| Position | Name | Address | Phone | Terms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Aubrey Shepherd | 1101 S. Duncan Ave., Fayetteville, AR 72701 | (479) 444-6072 | 01/01/2008 thru 06/30/2013 |
| Vice Chairman | Blake Pennington | 927 N. Hall Ave., Fayetteville, AR 72701 | (479) 430-1221 | 07/01/2010 thru 06/30/2014 |
| Michael Ehrig | 2007 W. Custer Lane, Fayetteville, AR 72701 | (479) 521-4420 | 07/01/2011 thru 06/30/2015 | |
| Michael Spencer | 2456 N. Southwick Dr., Fayetteville, AR 72704 | (202) 713-5480 | 01/01/2011 thru 06/30/2013 | |
| Mike Russell | 1303 E. Joyce Blvd., Fayetteville, AR 72703 | (479) 871-0975 | 07/01/2009 thru 06/30/2014 | |
| Russ Davis | 1155 E. Rolling Hills Drive, Fayetteville, AR 72703 | (479) 236-0453 | 01/01/2011 thru 06/30/2013 | |
| Stephen Smith | 340 N. Rollston, Fayetteville, AR 72701 | (479) 409-7842 | 07/01/2011 thru 06/30/2015 |
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Tonight's meeting canceled for lack of a quorum: Please see May meeting of Fayetteville Telecommunication Board online video
Email from manager of gov channel:
The June 16, 2011 meeting of the City of Fayetteville Telecommunications Board scheduled for this evening has been canceled due to lack of a quorum. We apologize for any inconvenience. The next meeting of the Board is scheduled for July 21, 2011.
Thank you
Fritz Gisler, Manager
The Fayetteville Government Channel
The City of Fayetteville Television Center
fgisler@ci.fayetteville.ar.us
101 W. Rock Street
Fayetteville, AR 72701
Voice: 479-444-3434
Email from gov channel manager including three board members' email that they would not attend tonight:
Aubrey,
Here are the emails from Russ, Brandon and Blake notifying us of their inability to attend tonight's meeting.
I will be forwarding the cancellation notice momentarily.
Fritz Gisler, Manager
The Fayetteville Government Channel
The Fayetteville Government Channel
The City of Fayetteville Television Center
101 W. Rock Street
Fayetteville, AR 72701
Voice: 479-444-3434
Fax: 479-444-3437
TDD: 479-521-1316
(Telecommunication Device for the Deaf)
--Forwarded Message Attachment--
From: Russ@urguru.net
To: fgisler@ci.fayetteville.ar.us; anne@your-media.org; aubreyshepherd@hotmail.com; blake@niblocklawfirm.com; brandon.leder@hp.com; dmarr@ci.fayetteville.ar.us; fredcusanelli@gmail.com; jwalsh@nwaonline.com; lfsmith@ci.fayetteville.ar.us; ms@journeypr.com
Date: Wed, 8 Jun 2011 07:46:05 -0700
Subject: RE: June 16 Meeting
I will be out of town June 16th and unable to attend this Telecomm Meeting.
Russ Davis
Managing Member
103 N College Ave, Ste 6
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas
1-855-GET-GURU Ext 700
Direct :: 479.935.9888
Fax :: 479.935.9509
From: Frederick Gisler [mailto:fgisler@ci.fayetteville.ar.us]
Sent: Wednesday, June 08, 2011 9:32 AM
To: Anne Shelley; Aubrey Shepherd; Blake Pennington; Brandon Leder; Don Marr; Fred Cusanelli; Joel Walsh; Lindsley Smith; Michael Spencer; Russ Davis
Subject: June 16 Meeting
Sent: Wednesday, June 08, 2011 9:32 AM
To: Anne Shelley; Aubrey Shepherd; Blake Pennington; Brandon Leder; Don Marr; Fred Cusanelli; Joel Walsh; Lindsley Smith; Michael Spencer; Russ Davis
Subject: June 16 Meeting
Hello All,
Attached is the Agenda and supporting information for the June 16, 2011 meeting of the Fayetteville Telecommunications Board. There is one agenda item requested from the last meeting that is not on the agenda. Mr. Spencer asked for a response to his request regarding direction for the Telecommunications Board from the Administration and/or the City Council. I apologize that I was unable to fulfill that request for this meeting.
As always, if you know you will be unable to attend the meeting, please notify me as soon as possible.
Thank you for your time. I look forward to seeing you next week.
Fritz Gisler, Manager
The Fayetteville Government Channel
The Fayetteville Government Channel
The City of Fayetteville Television Center
101 W. Rock Street
Fayetteville, AR 72701
Voice: 479-444-3434
Fax: 479-444-3437
TDD: 479-521-1316
(Telecommunication Device for the Deaf)
--Forwarded Message Attachment--
From: BPennington@NiblockLawFirm.com
To: fgisler@ci.fayetteville.ar.us; anne@your-media.org; aubreyshepherd@hotmail.com; brandon.leder@hp.com; dmarr@ci.fayetteville.ar.us; fredcusanelli@gmail.com; jwalsh@nwaonline.com; lfsmith@ci.fayetteville.ar.us; ms@journeypr.com; russ@urguru.net
Date: Thu, 16 Jun 2011 10:56:51 -0500
Subject: RE: June 16 Meeting
I apologize for the late notice but I will be unable to make this evening’s meeting.
From: Frederick Gisler [mailto:fgisler@ci.fayetteville.ar.us]
Sent: Wednesday, June 08, 2011 9:32 AM
To: Anne Shelley; Aubrey Shepherd; Blake Pennington; Brandon Leder; Don Marr; Fred Cusanelli; Joel Walsh; Lindsley Smith; Michael Spencer; Russ Davis
Subject: June 16 Meeting
Sent: Wednesday, June 08, 2011 9:32 AM
To: Anne Shelley; Aubrey Shepherd; Blake Pennington; Brandon Leder; Don Marr; Fred Cusanelli; Joel Walsh; Lindsley Smith; Michael Spencer; Russ Davis
Subject: June 16 Meeting
Hello All,
Attached is the Agenda and supporting information for the June 16, 2011 meeting of the Fayetteville Telecommunications Board. There is one agenda item requested from the last meeting that is not on the agenda. Mr. Spencer asked for a response to his request regarding direction for the Telecommunications Board from the Administration and/or the City Council. I apologize that I was unable to fulfill that request for this meeting.
As always, if you know you will be unable to attend the meeting, please notify me as soon as possible.
Thank you for your time. I look forward to seeing you next week.
Fritz Gisler, Manager
The Fayetteville Government Channel
The Fayetteville Government Channel
The City of Fayetteville Television Center
101 W. Rock Street
Fayetteville, AR 72701
Voice: 479-444-3434
Fax: 479-444-3437
TDD: 479-521-1316
(Telecommunication Device for the Deaf)
--Forwarded Message Attachment--
Date: Thu, 16 Jun 2011 11:24:00 -0500
Subject: Fwd: June 16 Meeting
From: anne@your-media.org
To: fgisler@ci.fayetteville.ar.us
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Leder, Brandon <brandon.leder@hp.com>
Date: Wed, Jun 8, 2011 at 9:41 AM
Subject: RE: June 16 Meeting
To: Frederick Gisler <fgisler@ci.fayetteville.ar.us>, Anne Shelley <anne@your-media.org>, Aubrey Shepherd <aubreyshepherd@hotmail.com>, Blake Pennington <blake@niblocklawfirm.com>, Don Marr <dmarr@ci.fayetteville.ar.us>, Fred Cusanelli <fredcusanelli@gmail.com>, Joel Walsh <jwalsh@nwaonline.com>, Lindsley Smith <lfsmith@cifayetteville.ar.us>, Michael Spencer <ms@journeypr.com>, Russ Davis <russ@urguru.net>
![cid:image001.png@01CB84AA.20382BD0]()
From: Leder, Brandon <brandon.leder@hp.com>
Date: Wed, Jun 8, 2011 at 9:41 AM
Subject: RE: June 16 Meeting
To: Frederick Gisler <fgisler@ci.fayetteville.ar.us>, Anne Shelley <anne@your-media.org>, Aubrey Shepherd <aubreyshepherd@hotmail.com>, Blake Pennington <blake@niblocklawfirm.com>, Don Marr <dmarr@ci.fayetteville.ar.us>, Fred Cusanelli <fredcusanelli@gmail.com>, Joel Walsh <jwalsh@nwaonline.com>, Lindsley Smith <lfsmith@cifayetteville.ar.us>, Michael Spencer <ms@journeypr.com>, Russ Davis <russ@urguru.net>
Due to an out of town business meeting, I will not be back until late, the night of June 16, therefore, will be unable to attend this month’s meeting.
Thanks,
Brandon Leder
Enterprise Account Manager | HP PSG | Arkansas-Oklahoma
Inside Account Manager
John Q Trujillo
Inside Sales manager/HP PSG/ Arkansas-Oklahoma
From: Frederick Gisler [mailto:fgisler@ci.fayetteville.ar.us]
Sent: Wednesday, June 08, 2011 9:32 AM
To: Anne Shelley; Aubrey Shepherd; Blake Pennington; Leder, Brandon; Don Marr; Fred Cusanelli; Joel Walsh; Lindsley Smith; Michael Spencer; Russ Davis
Subject: June 16 Meeting
Sent: Wednesday, June 08, 2011 9:32 AM
To: Anne Shelley; Aubrey Shepherd; Blake Pennington; Leder, Brandon; Don Marr; Fred Cusanelli; Joel Walsh; Lindsley Smith; Michael Spencer; Russ Davis
Subject: June 16 Meeting
Hello All,
Attached is the Agenda and supporting information for the June 16, 2011 meeting of the Fayetteville Telecommunications Board. There is one agenda item requested from the last meeting that is not on the agenda. Mr. Spencer asked for a response to his request regarding direction for the Telecommunications Board from the Administration and/or the City Council. I apologize that I was unable to fulfill that request for this meeting.
As always, if you know you will be unable to attend the meeting, please notify me as soon as possible.
Thank you for your time. I look forward to seeing you next week.
Fritz Gisler, Manager
The Fayetteville Government Channel
The Fayetteville Government Channel
The City of Fayetteville Television Center
101 W. Rock Street
Fayetteville, AR 72701
Voice: 479-444-3434
Fax: 479-444-3437
--
Anne Shelley
Executive Director
Your Media (formerly Community Access Television)
479-287-4066 (Your Media Office)
479-444-3433 (Fayetteville Public Access Television)
Your Media is the service provider for Fayetteville Public Access Television
Telecom Board members as of May 2011
Please click on image to ENLARGE. Click on enlarged view for even easier reading.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Fayetteville city governent shares SEVERE WEATHER WARNING
Hazardous Weather Expected in Northwest Arkansas Tonight
The National Weather Service out of Tulsa, Oklahoma, has issued a hazardous weather outlook for Northwest and West Central Arkansas, as well as much of Eastern Oklahoma. The City of Fayetteville asks that you consider these alerts seriously and make needed safety precautions.
A widespread severe weather episode is expected this afternoon and evening across eastern Oklahoma and Northwest Arkansas. The developing weather pattern is highly favorable for long track supercells capable of strong tornadoes, large hail, and winds in excess of 70 mph. These storms will develop across central Oklahoma late this afternoon and spread eastward during the evening. By late this afternoon a strong upper level system will be moving out of the southwest U.S. with an unstable airmass in place over much of Central and Eastern Oklahoma. Scattered thunderstorms are expected to develop along the dry line in Central Oklahoma late this afternoon and become severe very quickly.
Storms will increase in coverage through the evening as they move into Northwest Arkansas with the threat of widespread damaging severe weather continuing late into the evening. In addition, dangerous flooding remains ongoing over parts of Northeast Oklahoma and Northwest Arkansas due to heavy rainfall Monday. Any additional significant rain will only enhance the flooding issues. Below are emergency procedures in the event of a tornado:
Go to a pre-designated shelter area such as a safe room, basement, storm cellar, or the lowest building level. If there is no basement, go to the center of an interior room on the lowest level (closet, interior hallway) away from corners, windows, doors, and outside walls. Put as many walls as possible between you and the outside. Get under a sturdy table and use your arms to protect your head and neck. Do not open windows.
If you are in a vehicle or mobile home:
Get out immediately and go to the lowest floor of a sturdy, nearby building or a storm shelter. Mobile homes, even if tied down, offer little protection from tornadoes.
If you are outside with no shelter:
Lie flat in a nearby ditch or depression and cover your head with your hands. Be aware of the potential for flooding. Do not get under an overpass or bridge. You are safer in a low, flat location. Never try to outrun a tornado in urban or congested areas in a car or truck. Instead, leave the vehicle immediately for safer shelter. Watch out for flying debris. Flying debris from tornadoes causes most fatalities and injuries. For additional information, please see information from the Federal Emergency Management Association on tornadoes at http://www.fema.gov/hazard/tornado/index.shtm.
Fayetteville city governent shares SEVERE WEATHER WARNING
Hazardous Weather Expected in Northwest Arkansas Tonight
The National Weather Service out of Tulsa, Oklahoma, has issued a hazardous weather outlook for Northwest and West Central Arkansas, as well as much of Eastern Oklahoma. The City of Fayetteville asks that you consider these alerts seriously and make needed safety precautions.
A widespread severe weather episode is expected this afternoon and evening across eastern Oklahoma and Northwest Arkansas. The developing weather pattern is highly favorable for long track supercells capable of strong tornadoes, large hail, and winds in excess of 70 mph. These storms will develop across central Oklahoma late this afternoon and spread eastward during the evening. By late this afternoon a strong upper level system will be moving out of the southwest U.S. with an unstable airmass in place over much of Central and Eastern Oklahoma. Scattered thunderstorms are expected to develop along the dry line in Central Oklahoma late this afternoon and become severe very quickly.
Storms will increase in coverage through the evening as they move into Northwest Arkansas with the threat of widespread damaging severe weather continuing late into the evening. In addition, dangerous flooding remains ongoing over parts of Northeast Oklahoma and Northwest Arkansas due to heavy rainfall Monday. Any additional significant rain will only enhance the flooding issues. Below are emergency procedures in the event of a tornado:
Go to a pre-designated shelter area such as a safe room, basement, storm cellar, or the lowest building level. If there is no basement, go to the center of an interior room on the lowest level (closet, interior hallway) away from corners, windows, doors, and outside walls. Put as many walls as possible between you and the outside. Get under a sturdy table and use your arms to protect your head and neck. Do not open windows.
If you are in a vehicle or mobile home:
Get out immediately and go to the lowest floor of a sturdy, nearby building or a storm shelter. Mobile homes, even if tied down, offer little protection from tornadoes.
If you are outside with no shelter:
Lie flat in a nearby ditch or depression and cover your head with your hands. Be aware of the potential for flooding. Do not get under an overpass or bridge. You are safer in a low, flat location. Never try to outrun a tornado in urban or congested areas in a car or truck. Instead, leave the vehicle immediately for safer shelter. Watch out for flying debris. Flying debris from tornadoes causes most fatalities and injuries. For additional information, please see information from the Federal Emergency Management Association on tornadoes at http://www.fema.gov/hazard/tornado/index.shtm.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Richard Drake's memory of the 1993 effort to get planning commission to allow Government Channel to record and broadcast its meetings
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Tuesday, May 10, 2011 - 09:23:18
Fayetteville, 1993: Convincing Planning Commission to do the right thing took a form of video guerilla warfare
This is sort of an instructive lesson in why every community needs public access television.When the Fayetteville Government Channel First came into being in 1992, most of the volunteer committees set up by the city agreed to have their meetings shown on TV, except for the Planning Commission. Long considered to be one of the most important government bodies, their decision seemed unfathomable. And yet they were unapproachable on the subject
Some folks would have gone, “Ah well, maybe they will see the light one day,” but then again, that would have been stupid. A group of us determined to tape their meetings and put them on public access until the Planning Commission agreed to allow FGC cameras to tape them.
The entire process took several months. It needs to be noted for the “Tsk, tsk” crowd that, unlike the pasty-faced little thugs who did the job on ACORN some time back, we presented the commission meetings in their entirety - even when we were having fun editing.
Hell, no, we won't go - on Television
Fayetteville, 1993: Convincing Planning Commission to do the right thing took a form of video guerilla warfare
Many communities across the United States enjoy a form of television known as a PEG system - channels provided by the city, for the benefit of the local citizens. PEG (Public, Education and Government) channels are very popular across the country. Not only do they offer locals the chance to speak out on a wide variety of topics, but the government channels also serve as a local form of C-Span, offering gavel-to-gavel coverage of city/county meetings.
It provides a window into the process of government usually not afforded to those unable to physically attend meetings. As a result, such channels are at once very popular with local citizens, and a little unnerving to elected officials - especially in towns who don't offer these channels, but whose citizens would like them.
There is nothing like a little empowerment to make some elected officials nervous.
In Fayetteville, before 1992, everything was offered on just one public access channel, Fayetteville Open Channel. Because of time constraints, only the meetings of the Fayetteville City Council and the Washington County Quorum Court were aired on FOC.
In 1992, things changed radically, when the city of Fayetteville officially offered three separate PEG channels. It was hardly a seamless operation, though. From the very beginning, some were determined to be dragged kicking and screaming into the age of television - if at all.
It took several months for the new Fayetteville Government Channel to set things up so that they could tape as many meetings as they needed to. Then, as now, much depended upon both time and the availability of personnel.
Nevertheless, the new channel was very popular with the citizens of Fayetteville. For the first time, not just city council or county meetings were shown, but also committee and commission meetings, made up of citizen volunteers.
Fayetteville itself has long had a reputation for being one of the most politically diverse - and divisive - cities in Northwest Arkansas. The home of the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville has been known for many years as "The Athens of the Ozarks" - a place not only known for its beauty, but also for the spirited and intelligent debate that often marked public controversies.
In fact, public access television itself had almost been lost due to bitter public debates in the community. But by 1992, all of this was behind Fayetteville; not only was there a new access provider, but a new government channel that everyone was pleased about.
Well, not quite everyone.
The entire subject of having cameras in public meetings was a sore point with some in the business community. In fact, during a public survey (The Fayetteville Vision Project), several in the Chamber of Commerce had felt that cameras should be removed from City Hall entirely.
The chief problem with "empowerment" is that all too often the "wrong" sort of people are empowered. And for several years, activists of all stripes had utilized public access well in Fayetteville. Not only that, but folks were not too shy about expressing themselves at council meetings.
Take the cameras away, some felt, and the activists would melt away into the woodwork.
Though those who would remove cameras altogether failed to make any headway, there was still another way to thwart those activists - or "aginners" as one daily newspaper referred to them, meaning that they were against progress for their community.
Though most committees and volunteer boards at City Hall, had no problem with going on Fayetteville Government Channel, there were a few holdouts - chief among them being the Planning Commission.
Though each and every city board and commission (made up of unpaid citizens who volunteer their time and energy) is important, some deal with issues that can directly affect every man and woman among us, and the Planning Commission is one of those.
One of the commission's jobs is to see that Fayetteville, which is growing by leaps and bounds, has some control over that growth. A city that doesn't endeavor to plan for the future may well find itself turning into an urban nightmare.
Naturally, the workings of such a body will attract a lot of public attention, some of it unwanted. To the consternation of much of the viewing public of Fayetteville, in July of 1993, the Planning Commission voted formally not to allow FGC to videotape and show their meetings.
That should have been the end of it. Nothing to see here, folks. Everybody move along, now.
Some might have whined. Some might have said, "oh, well, you can't have everything." But if you're gonna live in a town known as the Athens of the Ozarks, you gotta earn the right to call yourself that.
The Planning Commission hadn't factored public access television into their calculations.
October: it must have surprised the Planning Commission to see volunteer public access producers come into the city council chambers (where the commission held their meetings) and set up field cameras.
Full Disclosure Time: I was part of that crew.
Though cameras were in operation, no one seemed to be playing to them, even though some in the audience obviously cared very much about the subjects they spoke about, namely their neighborhoods.
The meeting went by without a hitch. Although we didn't use the city cameras that were in place for meetings, the meeting - which aired on Fayetteville's public access station - looked as good as any seen on the FGC.
Through back channels, however, we learned that there were some on the Planning Commission who were very annoyed that the cameras were there, though there was nothing they about do about it.
There were other issues at stake, other than simply having important meetings shown to the public. Several of the members of the commission had uncomfortably close business ties - not only with each other, but with developers coming before the commission.
The situation went on for several months. Public access producers taking time out of their lives to tape and edit a government meeting, because the body in question still refused to allow "official" cameras into their meetings. There didn't seem to be much logic involved.
Looking back, I can only assume that they thought we'd get tired of it after a while, and leave them alone.
In fact, just the opposite happened. While the Government Channel, like the aforementioned C-Span, offers gavel-to-gavel coverage of meetings, there was a distinct advantage independent public access producers had over government employees. Though we had taken pains to make our tapes look as professional as possible, we realized we weren't bound by that.
The Planning Commission was going to tired of us long before we got tired of them.
We started small, with just a few innovations. "NYPD Blue" was still in its infancy, and handheld camera shots were all the rage. Accordingly, while one of our cameras remained on a tripod, one of our camera people would hoist a camera over his shoulder and walk around the room, getting angles that were creative, to say the least.
Then, in the editing room, some parts of the meeting might end up being in black and white. Film noir, anyone?
And for those who liked foreign films - ala Godzilla - some sequences might find a commission member opening their mouth to speak, and their voice catching up with them a few seconds later.
Still, no luck. Though we were having great fun at the commission's expense, they weren't budging. Though we were all adults, we were tolerated as though we were a neighbor's particularly backward children. So, we upped the ante, just a little.
We already knew of the close business ties that at least two members had with each other, and with those who came before the Planning Commission. On-screen, when they would appear, their business connections would be linked via graphics.
That went on for a few meetings, and then the ultimate touch was added. As Gilbert and Sullivan played over the end credits, all of the members' financial ties were listed, along with information as to which business interests had donated money to their various failed political campaigns.
Applause followed at the end of the program.
That seemed to do the trick. We were officially "invited" to a Planning Commission meeting, where not a word was said about the content of the meetings that had been shown on public access television. Instead, those of us who stood up spoke about the First Amendment, the People's right to Know, and I even talked about how much better the meetings would look, using the Government Channel equipment.
With no discussion, they voted to allow their meetings to be shown on FGC.
Life went on. We all went back to our own projects, the Planning Commission was on television on a regular basis, and the citizens at home learned more about their city government.
That's as close to a happy ending as you get in politics, most days.
Richard S. Drake is the author of a science fiction novel, "Freedom Run," and "Ozark Mosaic: Adventures in Arkansas Alternative Journalism, 1990-2002."
Little Rock Free Press - February, 2007
rsdrake@cox.net
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