Broadband Committee Minutes 5-22-09
Present: Reva Reck (presiding), Miryam Williamson (recording) Visiting:
Patricia Lemon, Selectboard chair; Terry Kemerer

CTO 15:37

 Minutes of May 8 will be approved at next meeting. 

Reva Reck will send the committee and the selectboard a list of
installations and pending installations. She distributed a map she made
with icons for installations, failed installations, requests for
installations, and expressions of interest.  She noted that the location
of the icons should not be taken too literally.

In discussing the broadband committee's purpose, Reva Reck noted it is
impossible to make recommendations to the selectboard without accurate
and timely information. She said David Young's 5/20 email titled
"Broadband Revenue and VLAN" came as news to the committee and is full
of policy implications for which we have no information with which to
advise the selectboard. She expressed concern that what Young has
proposed may meet with disapproval of the state police and/or DCR. She
wants to review the memorandum of agreement with DCR, especially, and
with American Tower in this connection.  She also said the committee
should probably meet with the selectboard and town counsel.

In relation to the database Terry Kemerer is maintaining, he said the
database is his personal property and is on his personal computer.
Miryam Williamson observed that the committee has been denied
information David Young deems personal, yet Kemerer, who is not a member
of the committee, has that information in his personal possession, and
not on a town hall computer as had been discussed at the May 1 meeting. 
Asked whether Kemerer thought that was appropriate he replied, "Not when
you put it that way."

Patricia Lemon will put the committee on the selectboard's June 1
meeting to discuss information flow and other relevant matters.

In the matter of providing services to entities outside Warwick - 
whether individuals or businesses - Reva Reck was of the opinion that
since Warwick taxpayers have provided the capital with which to build
the system, they should get some benefit from selling service to those
outside the town, i.e., they should pay more than Warwick subscribers. 
The two committee members present agreed that should be one of the
matters to be put before the selectboard when we meet.

It was also decided to put before the board questions concerning when an
installation should be paid for, and chain of custody of such payments.
Miryam Williamson suggested that there should be a 30-day tryout before
a new installation is paid for, pointing out that if someone pays at the
time of installation and the signal is subsequently lost, as has
happened in some instances, it would take a town meeting vote to get the
homeowner's payment refunded.  After discussion, at Terry Kemerer's
suggestion, it was agreed that the town coordinator should retain
installation payment checks for two weeks before turning them over to
the treasurer for deposit.

Patricia Lemon said she is sure the selectboard doesn't expect the
broadband project to pay back quickly the $40,000 town meeting
appropriated. Miryam Williamson suggested that when the enterprise fund
holds enough to pay the town, the committee should ask the selectboard
to decide whether that payment should be made, or the money should be
used to expand the system to less accessible areas of town, to lower
existing subscriber rates, or to return the money to the general fund.

MOTION: Re installation policy to recommend to selectboard.  Reva Reck
moved, Miryam Williamson seconded:

Service to computer or network. Installers not only install subscriber
unit, but also wire the unit to either a computer or a router inside the
house. Homeowner either drills the hole or signs a waiver. Connection is
demonstrated on customer's computer and signed off on by customer. If
subscriber unit is to be connected to a router, customer must
demonstrate connectivity between their computer and the router. Windows
XP or higher required.  Subscribers will be billed for equipment and
installation after installation sign-off.

APPROVED Unanimously. Notice of this action was sent to selectboard
members by e-mail May 28, 2009.

Reva Reck remarked that the real income to the town will come from
subscribers' monthly fees, not installation payments.  Therefore, she
said, it is probably in the town's interests for the town to partially
subsidize installations to get a revenue stream flowing.

MOTION to adjourn - Miryam Williamson, seconded, Reva Reck, APPROVED
unanimously.

Adjourned 18:10


Approved _____5/29/09_____________________________