MINUTES FROM
THE FEB. 19TH FRANCHISE RENEWAL MEETING. OUR NEXT MEETING SCHEDULED FOR MARCH
8TH AT 11:00 A.M. IN THE HEINZ FOUNDATION OFFICES, 30th FLOOR OF THE CNG TOWER.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL RICK FLANAGAN AT 441-9833.
Agenda and notes
from City of Pittsburgh Community group Internet access working group TCI-ATT
Franchise / Community Access meeting, 1:00 - 3:00 PM, Feb. 19,1999
19 attendees, 2 staff from 3RC, representatives of
3 neighborhood groups, and one member of the media signed in and picked up
their information package. 95% of the attendees have an email address, please
see the list attached for names, contact information, and organizations
After a quick welcome and background on 3 Rivers Connect
questions staff expressed regrets from City Councilman Dan Cohen who was not
able to attend due to an appointment in Harrisburg. 3 RC staff explained Dan
asked the group to come up with some specific community access requests for
Dan to give to the Franchisee in a cogent package by mid March. The following
handouts were quickly reviewed relative to the purpose of the meeting during
casual lunch service of pizza and pop:
3 Rivers Connect "Information commons" Mission, Criteria
for 3RC Projects (enclosure),
Overview and mission of 425 6th Ave Building history
and (enclosure)
Press release on Microsoft and Commonwealth of PA partnership
(enclosure)
425 6th Ave Technology Assessment form (enclosure,
please fill in and return)
Chrishelle Thomas-Eugene of Hill House Association
gave a very positive case history of some of the positive things that have
since establishment of their current program in 1994. They have a computer
lab with 10 stations, originally a T-1 (1.17 mbps direction connection to
the Internet), now only 128kbps ISDN, and branched out to 5 other locations.
Some of the specifics "wins" are numerous small business web sites (a painter,
a lawyer, a story teller), and the broadcast of world class Jazz sessions
on the world wide net. Mrs. Gaston ( a senior who stays in touch with relatives
as far away as Alaska with frequent email) and the purchase of personal or
commercial products on the Internet. Several taxpayers were able to interview
over the Internet. The
continued success of this story from the Hill House
program seems to be greatly hampered by the reduction of available bandwidth,
such as the online interview process or the inability to broadcast music.
We gave out the contact information for this program and other "neighborhood
centers" that have needs in this regard. Maybe we can all come up with some
specific suggestions to support solutions for these "grassroots" programs
with a foundation in Internet Technology.
(enclosure, on the back of the neighborhood map with
N. Ed. Centers)
Bob Carlitz of Information Renaissance shared some
vital observations as follows:
1. Pittsburgh is the First "large" urban system to
be upgraded to the complete Technology offering of Cable, Internet access,
and Local Competitive Voice service (email enclosure) He suggested that we
have a very good position to receive special attention in making the ATT product
offerings successful compared to other cities who will be receiving the ATT-TCI
combined services later in the merged companies growth cycle.
2. Bob asked if the Hill Group study (complete version)
was available on the Internet? Bob had strong concern that this complete report
be "put on the net" for any interested party to review and comment on concerning
the relative standing of the Pittsburgh system versus other communities. 3RC
Staff shared some general follow up research from Cori Pasinetti of the Hill
group (Cpasinetti@hillgroupinc.com) If any only would like to email her a
request for a downloadable file of the report I would suggest she could be
most helpful in regard to access to this information.
I-NET (enclosure) Carl Redwood Jr, was not able to
attend Friday, however he expressed this was extremely important to "equity"
in access to the "Information Age" in all neighborhoods in the city.
Introduction and comments from:
EIN/ CLP, no representation; Three Rivers Free Net,
no rep.;
Rick Flanagan or Bloomfield - Garfield Corporation
spoke to the question of the need for prompt unified action, to form consensus
behind a 2 page paper as to the "Killer application and Organization" to rally
wide based community group support behind the specific "asks" Councilman Cohen
will receive in Mid March.
Ron Gdovic of 3RC welcomed everyone to the dialogue
and commented on some specific services or resources requested by a recent
community, Oakland County Mich. in their franchisee agreement with TCI.
The open discussion to determine exactly what Councilman
Cohen should ask for from TCI / ATT yielded the following items:
1. We should request an INET with Public owned fiber
strands along the TCI right of way to a specific number of Nodes (250?) on
an Internet Protocol network. The network was suggested should managed by
someone (unnamed entity) for the mutual use of the community similar to the
way or streets and roads are shared by private, commercial, fire, PAT, police,
school and all other vehicles. The group seemed to want the threshold for
access to this system to be non-profit , educational, or civic nature of the
group given access.
2. Gerry Balbier of the Heinz Endowments expressed
a strong interest for unity and focus of purpose as we go forward. He suggested
a "working group" to look into "sustainable" management model.
3. The franchise should be for only 5 year instead
of 10 years with performance related "triggers" which would suggest certain
review of certain aspects of the franchise.
4. Continued community access Television services should
be part of the request of the franchisee.
A smaller group agreed to be a "working group" to take
the next steps between now and mid March.
