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News & Updates
`Olelo: The Corporation for Community Television
Draft Minutes of the Board of Directors Meeting
Wednesday, September 23, 1998
`Olelo's Classroom, 1122 Mapunapuna Street, 1st Floor
In attendance:
Philip Bossert, Linda Colburn, Susan Doyle, Heather Giugni, Mildred Higashi, Gerald Kato, Robert Mougeot, Marilyn Yoza
Staff:
Lurline McGregor, Keali`i Lopez, Miki Lee, Kit Kawamata
Board President Gerald Kato called the meeting to order at 2:15 p.m.
I. Old Business
A. The minutes of the July 15, 1998 Board of Directors’ meeting were approved as presented.
B. Resolution to pursue HPBA Partnership
- Bob mentioned that as part of the HPBA merger discussions, funds would need to be set aside by both organizations to support technical, legal and feasibility studies. Bob moved that the Board approved up to $25,000 for such studies, and that any two Board members, including Bob, Gerry, Robbie and/or Lurline be given authorization to approve the expenditures.
- Gerald repeated that Bob had moved the approval of up to $25,000 to examine the feasibility of the proposed merger between 'Olelo and Hawaii Public Television. Motion was approved.
II. Reports
Gerald moved to take the Board Agenda out of order and to start with the Executive Director’s Report.
Motion approved.
A. Executive Director’s Report
- Lurline announced that Keali`i will be leaving the staff. Her final day is October 9, 1998. She will be moving on to be the Manager of the Distance Learning Program at Kamehameha Schools.
- Gerald thanked Keali`i for all her loyal work with the Board over the years.
- Lurline went on to mention that there will be a slight internal reorganization that included the creation of the Director of Production Services position which was offered to and accepted by Angela Angel. She also reported that current recruitment for a Training Coordinator had already began. Meanwhile, Miki Lee will be assuming more of the organization’s administrative functions.
- Lurline also announced that Miki Lee was elected to the Alliance for Community Media’s National Board of Directors. The Alliance for Community is the national organization for Public, Education and Government (PEG) access.
- Board members congratulated Miki for this election.
- The Kahuku Media Center, 'Olelo’s second rural satellite center, opened last month. Equipment is beginning to arrive and they are offering training at the Media Center. The Media Center has been well received.
- Lurline asked Kit Kawamata to report on potential conflicts with equipment and the year 2000.
- Kit reported that all equipment seems safe, except the automatic playback system, which he is addressing now.
- Miki reported that the voice mail software will need to be upgraded before the year 2000.
- Kit also reported that we continue to receive and install new digital equipment that was ordered earlier this year, including cameras and edit bays. He expects to be fully digital within three months.
- Lurline announced that Bob and she recently met with Damon Estate recently to renegotiate 'Olelo’s lease rent. Damon Estate agreed to reduce the lease rent by approximately $50,000 starting next year, while extending the lease at the current rate.
- Lurline also reported that she is looking to consolidate 'Olelo’s financial accounts to a single service provider for improved cost savings.
- The status of the management audit is that Lurline forwarded a list of items to be audited and is awaiting DCCA’s review. DCCA will share this list with Senator Ige. Lurline feels we should complete this management audit by the end of this year and before the start of the next session.
- The HPBA/'Olelo meetings continue on a biweekly basis. Issues currently being discussed include legal issues, feasibility studies and legislation. For now, the two agencies are seeking a joint venture-type relationship, while the long-term studies continue.
B. President’s Report
- Gerald reported that he received the Strategic Planning Ad Hoc Committee’s report, and that they have completed their work.
- He also mentioned that a letter was sent to Kathryn Matayoshi at DCCA via the Ad Hoc Committee involving several different points.
- The Ad Hoc Committee was appointed to follow up on the task force report that was submitted about a year ago to ensure appropriate follow up on the report recommendations.
- Gerald thanked Mildred and her committee for their efforts.
- One specific issue that was raised in the task force was the issue of whether 'Olelo was required to operate under the Sunshine law:
a. DCCA provided the Board with opinions from the Office of Information Practices to clarify the status of the Community Television Company. It makes it clear that these companies are not public agencies under the terms of the Sunshine Law.
- The OIP opinions are available for the Board to look at.
- Gerald asked Susan Doyle to report on her findings in reviewing 'Olelo’s Bylaws
- Susan reported that after consultation with several board members and the DCCA, it would be best to hold off on Bylaw changes while the HPBA discussions take place. She also cited that the only area that the organization is remiss in, is that the Bylaws state the Board will hold six meetings per year, and while it doesn’t appear to be a serious issue, she would assess the situation further.
- Susan also reported that staff had compiled the various amendments from throughout the past years so that now we had one concise document to work from.
- Gerald asked Susan and Lurline to look at the proposed contract with HENC.
- Susan updated the Board on two related issues:
a. A long standing request from the DCCA to adopt a new agreement, which the DCCA wanted all the access organizations in the State to adopt.
b. This was now tied to the adoption of the HENC agreement.
- Susan further reported that she and Lurline met with DCCA to talk about both of the items mentioned above to better understand the request and where 'Olelo stood.
- She also mentioned that at an earlier Board meeting, there were discussions relating to the HENC agreement. This is where we would allow reasonable funding for the startup process over this period of the fall, and then have the contract begin the end of the new year. This scenario was discussed with Kathy Matayoshi and she is agreeable to that.
- The next step on the HENC agreement is to make sure that we have legislative support. Kathy Matayoshi will be taking the lead on this issue.
- The Board had some concerns relating to some of the reporting requirements and several other provisions.
- Susan stated that she and Lurline went through the entire contract with Kathy, and that there were quite a few amendments to the contract that make it more reasonable for the Board and more useful for the staff.
- Susan continued, stating that the HENC agreement is on the road to consent by which 'Olelo and DCCA can agree.
- Phil reported that Kathy Matayoshi and Clyde Sonobe of DCCA met this morning, September 23, to review the draft agreement.
- Phil also reported that the draft agreement has some problems with the legal language, specifically the indemnification terms, and that he is trying to ensure that DOE and UH are supportive of 'Olelo in the future legislative years, and has yet to secure this outcome.
- In addition, the agreement includes capital and not operating funds or channel resources.
- Gerald mentioned that he will be appointing a nominating committee to take up securing board members to replace those members whose terms are ending.
C. Finance Committee Report
- Bob said there was no report at this time.
D. Program Committee Report
- Heather reported that the Program Committee met on September 9, 1998, to confirm the five new members of the Access Services Advisory Committee.
- Those members are Julius AhSam, Jude Dady, Gary Honda, Steve Knox, and Ron Pohnel.
- She further mentioned that they met to discuss the governance and structure for that Committee and staff concerns relating to 'Olelo’s commercialism policy. On that note the Committee asked the staff to provide additional information so they can look at that for further action to be taken on the subject of commercialism.
- Following the meeting on September 9, the Access Services Advisory Committee met with the Program Committee members and 'Olelo staff on September 16, 1998, to get to know them and to discuss the governance and structure issues that come up in the Program Committee.
- Heather reported that the Program Committee was quite pleased at the communication and efforts that the Access Services Advisory Committee had conducted during that meeting.
- She further noted that the Program Committee will be meeting again after the Board meeting today, September 23, and then again with the Access Services Advisory Committee on September 30.
E. Strategic Planning Ad Hoc Committee Report
- Mildred reported that Phil and Marilyn were on the Committee, with staff support from Miki Lee.
- Mildred further reported that the Committee would like to make the following recommendations:
a. Reaffirms the Board’s position on the holistic approach to PEG.
b. Revise 'Olelo’s mission statement.
c. Redesign the process for the funding of education access. This was discussed earlier relating to HENC.
d. The Sunshine Law issue as recommended by the Office of Information Practices (OIP) was resolved.
e. The examination of the structure and governance issues that still is an ongoing process.
f. Create a variety of opportunities for people to communicate with 'Olelo about their needs and concerns. The creation of the Access Services Advisory Committee is a significant action toward this concern.
g. Maximize the use of the valuable channel resources.
h. Expand the definition of access services. This is being taken care of in the mission statement.
i. Consider new and creative approaches that will expand 'Olelo’s definition of training.
j. Consider a range of funding, resources and roles outside of traditional funding sources and roles to PEG access.
k. Align strategies for 'Olelo with statewide access strategies being developed by PEG leaders and DCCA. Mildred mentioned that Lurline is progressing on this issue.
- The Strategic Planning Ad Hoc Committee proposed revision of 'Olelo’s mission, to expand the definition beyond the creation, production, and cablecasting of programs. The focus has been changed from managing rules and regulations to providing community services. The revised mission statement was posted on the website and in the newsletter, and no comments were received.
- Mildred moved to adopt the revised mission statement for 'Olelo. Marilyn seconded.
- Bob asked for an explanation of the reason for adopting a new mission statement. After some discussion, the motion was retracted and the Committee was asked to revise the statement further.
- Susan suggested that the mission statement be referred to the Bylaws Committee for further clarification.
- Gerald agreed to refer the matter back to the Bylaws and Strategic Planning Ad Hoc Committees.
III. Public Comment
A. Wendy Arbeit asked if the Board’s next meeting will be in December. Gerald confirmed that the next meeting is scheduled for December.
Wendy clarified that 'Olelo’s Bylaws indicate six Board meetings a year. She further stated that if the Board were to meet in December that this would make it the fourth meeting for the year and that the Board would be violating its Bylaws.
She continued to say that the Board is obligated to hold a meeting in October, November, and December to conform to the Bylaws.
Gerald replied that with this information the Board still had time to conform and that the matter will be taken under advisement.
B. Wendy asked for the status of the finance and the management audit that is called for in Senate Resolution 18.
Gerald replied that the Executive Director already reported on this, and since Wendy was not in the room at the time of the report she should speak to Lurline after the Board meeting.
C. Jeff Garland stated that the time the Board meetings are held are a concern to him. He also inquired about the availability of documents in the Board packets. Jeff further stated that the voices of Lurline and Susan were quite soft, that he was not able to hear them.
Gerald stated that the primary mission of Board meetings is for the purpose of Board members to discuss issues relating to 'Olelo. He also apologized to Jeff about not being able to hear the voices of some of the Board members. Gerald further stated that the first and primary reasons of the Board meeting are so that the members can hear each other, and then stated that the Board will take Jeff’s issues under consideration.
Jeff continued by saying that his letters sent to Gerald, Lurline, and Keali`i were not being answered.
D. Gerald called a brief recess.
E. Gerald requested to call the meeting back to order. Susan moved and Marilyn seconded.
F. Gerald motioned to go into Executive Session to discuss personnel matters. Susan moved and Marilyn seconded.
Board meeting adjourned to go into Executive Session at 3:09 p.m. They reconvened the open/regular session, then formally adjourned the board meeting.
Respectfully submitted,
Linda M. Colburn, Secretary
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