NEW Action at Reno City Hall
Council reviews one year franchise extension
Citizens committee ponders new involvement

Committee and consumers criticize city staff
Ask to monitor negotiations

         UPDATE: On Wednesday, October 22, 2003, the Reno City Council agendized two recommendations forwarded from the Sept. 25 CCCC meeting: the placement of a CCCC member as an observer in negotiation of a new Charter franchise agreement and permanent inclusion of purview over cable TV in the city manager's job description. The council rejected the first proposal 7-0 and amended the second to apply to the city's director of community relations.

Sept. 24, 2003

TO: City of Reno Citizens Cable Compliance Committee
FROM: Andrew Barbano, Chair
RE: 9-24 Reno City Council agenda
       9-25 CCCC agenda

City Attorney Patricia Lynch graciously left a message on Tuesday afternoon noting that city staff has pulled item 5T from the 9-24 council agenda. They feel it needs more discussion regarding a "subcommittee acting in a staff capacity."

Deputy City Atty. Jonathan Shipman will not be available to discuss the matter with the council, as he has become a new father. (Congratulations!)

Please note another cable-related item on Wednesday's council consent agenda, no. 5B. City staff has apparently recommended a one-year extension of the current Charter contract, similar to Washoe County's action earlier this year. (All the more reason for Sparks to quickly get a cable committee established.)

The extension paves the way for discussion of item 8c on the CCCC agenda for this Thursday, 9-25, at 4:00 p.m., as noted below.

Here is the specific 9-24 Reno City Council agenda language:

5B. Staff Report: Approval of extension of existing Cable Franchise Agreements with Charter Communications until September 11, 2004. [UPDATE: On Councilman David Aiazzi's motion, the council unanimously voted for a 90-day extension with an additional 90 days if needed. Aiazzi noted and staff concurred that an agreement is close.]

5T. Staff Report: Approval of an amendment to Article VI of the By Laws of the Citizens Cable Compliance Committee relating to the function of subcommittees.

The full agenda is posted at http://www.cityofreno.com

Thank you.

Andrew Barbano, CCCC Chair

ec: Cable mailing list

CITIZENS CABLE COMPLIANCE COMMITTEE (CCCC)
MEETING AGENDA
THURSDAY
September 25, 2003
4:00 PM
Reno City Hall
490 South Center Street, Council Chambers
Reno, Nevada 89501

The announcement of this meeting is posted at Reno City Hall at 490 South Center Street, City of Reno Community Development Building at 450 Sinclair Street, the Washoe County Library Downtown branch, the City of Reno Public Works Department, 4th Floor and Paine-Webber Building at 350 South Center Street.

ALL ITEMS ARE FOR CCCC ACTION UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED WITH AN ASTERISK (*)

We are pleased to make reasonable accommodations for members of the public who are disabled and wish to attend meetings. If you should require special arrangements for the meeting, please contact (775) 334-3112 at least 24 hours prior to meeting date.

  1. * Roll Call
  2. * Report from Council Liaison Council Member Dave Aiazzi
  3 * Public Comment - Limited to no more than (3) minutes. The public may comment by making a request to speak to the CCCC Recording Secretary.
  4. Approval of minutes of August 28th CCCC meeting.
  5. Presentation to the CCCC regarding the operation of the cable television Emergency Override System, as defined by existing City ordinances 5.90.1300 and 5.90.2300.
  6. Recommendation by the CCCC to the City Manager to revise the job description of the existing position of Director of Community Relations to include those duties, activities, functions and responsibilities necessary to ensure compliance with both the City's Master Cable Ordinance and any specific cable television franchise agreement granted by the City.
  7. Discussion for recommendation to the Reno City Council that any new cable franchise agreement include updated rules and guidelines concerning the social and economic discount program provided under section 5.90.1540 of the existing (TCI) franchise agreement.
  8. Discussion and feedback from, and action by, city staff; potential assignment to subcommittees:

a. Status of city council appointment of replacement for Kate Marshall. [UPDATE: The council appointed Richard Barton, Ph.D., on Oct. 8. Dr. Barton declined for personal reasons.]   b. Status and timeline of creating a CCCC presence on city website and status of posting of all past CCCC minutes and agendas to city site, or, in the alternative, forwarding an electronic version to the chair of minutes beginning with April, 2003, for posting at the unofficial website.   c. Update on city staff negotiation of new cable franchise agreement and discussion of necessity of increased support and/or oversight by CCCC. (NOTE: Publication of draft agreement will drive setting the date of the first live call-in town hall meeting which has been approved by the city council.) Committee and consumers criticize city staff Request to monitor negotiations      UPDATE: On Wednesday, October 22, 2003, the Reno City Council agendized two recommendations forwarded from the Sept. 25 CCCC meeting: the placement of a CCCC member as an observer in negotiation of a new Charter franchise agreement and permanent inclusion of purview over cable TV in the city manager's job description. The council rejected the first proposal 7-0 and amended the second to apply to the city's director of community relations.   d. Request to staff that Charter provide the committee with information concerning implementation of high-definition television (HDTV).   e. Request that staff provide draft minutes of the previous meeting at least seven working days prior to the next scheduled meeting.   f.  Request that staff set up a tour of Charter's call center, business office and work center for the Operations Subcommittee and any other interested CCCC members and city staff. To include a presentation from Charter regarding its methods of operation, including the use of sub-contractors. (NOTE: Charter Group Director of Government Relations Marsha Berkbigler has agreed to provide a technical expert to answer committee questions, per CCCC minutes of 15 July 2003, at page 3).   g. Report on distribution and implementation of complaint process flow chart approved at August meeting.   h. Report on implementation and graphic design of new consumer complaint language on Charter customer billings.   i. Request that staff obtain Charter policies for extending service to unserved addresses. Potential assignment to Operations Subcommittee.   j. Report from Steven Wright regarding cable-specific reportsgenerated as part of the city's new call center computer program (per minutes of June 26 meeting, page 6).

9. Reports from subcommittees:
    a. OPERATIONS: Thornsberry, Chair; Gorman and Dean.
    b. COMPLAINTS: Stone, Chair; Gorman, Dean.
    c. COMMUNICATIONS: 9-20-2003 Reno Gazette-Journal Silver Pen Winner (congratulations!) Lanham, Chair; Thornsberry and Stone.
    d. AD HOC SENIORS COMMITTEE: Stone, Chair, Thornsberry and Dean. Report from Barbara Stone regarding home wiring and senior/disadvantaged discount issues.
    e. AD HOC ELECTRONIC MONITORING COMMITTEE: Gorman, Chair; Stone and Dean. (Alternate: Thornsberry)

Identification of agenda items for future meetings of the CCCC.

Adjournment

NOTE: The council meeting will be cablecast live beginning at 10:00 a.m. 9-24 on SNCAT Sparks-Reno Charter Channel 13. The 9-25 CCCC meeting will be cablecast live at 4:00 p.m., also on Channel 13, with a rebroadcast this Saturday, Sept. 27, at 3:00 p.m., same station. A second CCCC rebroadcast will run at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 30.

      Watch this website and Barbwire by Barbano in the Sunday Sparks Tribune for updates. Click here to request placement on our mailing list.

     Got a gripe? E-mail it to us. We're finding that use of e-mail expedites matters.

     Thank you.