10/22/07 Information and Technology Committee

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Information and Technology Committee 2007 South Bend Common Council The October 22, 2007 meeting of the Information and Technology Committee of the South Bend Common Council was called to order by its Chairperson, Council Member David Varner at 4:17 p.m. in the Council's Informal Meeting Room. Persons in attendance included Council Members Dieter, Pfeifer, Kelly, Varner, Rouse, Kirsits, White and Puzzello; Mayor Stephen Luecke, Interim City Controller John Murphy, Public Works Director Gary Gilot, City Attorney Charles Leone, City Clerk John Voorde, Martha Lewis, Saint Clair Poindexter, other members of the public, Jamie Loo of the South Bend Tribune and Kathleen Cekanski-Farrand, Council Attorney. Dr. Varner noted that the Committee consisted of Council Members Pfeifer, Kelly, White and himself. Update and Discussion of Video Taping Council Meetings: Dr. Varner noted that the meeting was called to discuss any updates in getting meetings of the South Bend Common Council back onto the public access channel. He noted that the City Administration received notification in late August that Comcast would terminate recording and broadcasting Council meetings; with the last meeting broadcast being the one of September 24, 2007. Dr. Varner noted that he has had preliminary discussions with representatives of WNIT, a publicly funded broadcaster, to address coverage of the Council meetings, with returning the broadcasts of the Council meetings being the primary focus at this time. Mayor Luecke noted that Indiana state law has changed and that it is his understanding that there is no obligation to provide personnel or equipment by Comcast, but that they are obligated to provide a public, educational and governmental access channels (PEG) channels. City Attorney Charles Leone provided a 2-page handout entitled "Fact Sheet" from the Federal Communications Commission on cable television; and a 4-page summary on "Cable Television: Regulation & Consumer Concerns" from the Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor (copies attached).