Minutes for March 20th, 2018

Attendance

Present: Mike Adams(MA),Sheila Evans(SE), Jim Frame(JF), Steve McMahon(SM), Matthews Williams(MW), Robert Nickerson(RN)

Absent: Jan Meizel(JM), Doug Walter(DW), Anne Hance(AH) (On Leave), Tsui Chang(TC) (On Leave)

Call to Order

Called to order at 5:13pm at Davis Makerspace.

Agenda Approval

JF moved, SM seconded - Passed unanimously.

Public Comment

No members of the public were present.

Accept Minutes from January 18th, 2018 and February 20th, 2018

Nothing substantial more better word smithing on the language. No comments from the Board, SM moves acceptance Jan and Feb 2018 Minutes, SE 2nd. Passed unanimously.

DCN Financial Report

From SE, billed County Elections contract, passed regularly scheduled State Compensation Insurance Fund audit. and paid compensation insurance for the next year. MA brought up DW's remark about reimbursement policy? MA asks do we have a policy? Collective board snigger. JF said individual committees had active reimbursement policies. JF suggests perhaps DW concern in re "reimbursement" comes from dealing with larger organizations. JF asks what is the purpose given the size of the organization. Executive Committee provides function of Exec Director b/c it meets weekly and it has worked well historically for tracking reimbursements. JF recommends we should reach out to DW and make sure he is comfortable with the current operations.

JF asks what can we do with the DavisGIG monies?, RN asks about $15 per month income on the statement. RN mentioned again COS systems, and what could we do, and this is what DCN is doing to help realize municipal broadband in Davis. Subbordinate that decision to the BATF.

RN brought up the IP block contract. Board members conjecture on the amount, and the $20k number is batted about. MA says useful amount for us. SM did research about the block size selling it outright. SM says the deal with UCD is good. JF says he will follow up with UCD Network Operations again. Another 3 year term? MW suggest3 years again

SM raises again, not urgent possibility if it works - moving SE employment to Omsoft so that DCN would not be an employer, further cutting expenses for insurance etc. SE says she might be moving. SM could be transitioning, or Omsoft could contract for office services. SE says June 2018 at earliest. Pending possible move.

Renew board terms

Board term renewals, 2 terms are expring, SE and AH, SM suggest we let AH term expire, and furnish a note of appreciation and and a gift. We think about what we might send. SM mentions that AH and SM joined same day back in the day, 20th century. SM moves JF 2nded to renew SE term, noting SM and JF automatically renewed due to being an officer. MA thanks SM to research for board terms.

Status of BATF and the feasibility study (support letters)

MA wants to catch up the board on support letters and the status of the BATF. MA says maybe break it up, that DW had good language to add to the DCN letter. MA is going to also be at public comment. MA informs the DCN Board that the BATF doesn't want to disband. Suggest we need to put more out on Facebook, along with a copy of the letter DCN submitted too, on the Facebook page. We also discuss sending it to Enterprise? Just send them a copy of what we pass to DCC. SM says we could take a vote on endorsing continuation of the Broadband Advisory Task Force, allowing the DCN Exec Com to certify the letter, and authorize MA speak. SM moved, MW 2nded.

MA says its a public good, and that although its not a business case issue, an argument should be made for public funding. MW time is now the enemy, out of site and out of mind. If task force disbands, and it costs the cities more than private sector, says its going die on the vine. MA says Council still enthusiastic for it. MA says it still pretty sexy. MW says it might be good to tie downtown task force with the BATF, more intense and more viable. MW says he's remiss if it doesnt get together, can we use that to define more benefits. JF says a city council candidate has made it a platform bit, but no question asked to other candidates. Motion passes unanimously.

MA start thinking about how to use the funds that we have. MA says COS is attractive, a little hesitant about doing it if the BATF isn't ready. We keep working on them, and look at some other educational processes. Could we bring people from out of town? Hold an event with the Chamber? Bring someone from San Leandro, SF,and perhaps pay expenses with DavisGIG funds. JF says not exclusively a biz focus. Multiple audiences.

MW recommends 2 steps, Contact Daniel Parolek - project manager downtown plan update, integrating Fiber into the downtown plan. Plus reach out to Bob Wolcott, who is running downtown plan update. Perfect opportunity to ask questions. Mr Parolek is an outside consultant. MW finds team information of downtown partnership. RN reiterates for the Board the 3 things the BATF would want to continue to do, get hard costs, MDUs, Take Rates or Penetration. SM adds find partnerships. MA says BATF is monthly. MA says can we facilitate some of things they are trying to do? Nothing prohibits us from offering help moving the process along. MA says we can help them get things done faster.

SM says we have to solve the trapped data problem with COS. Can we do that as a not for profit?, we can't send the customer data contained in COS to any one private entity. Board members discussed - if it was labeled by City of Davis, it might better. That it is an expensive service for just a survey. The data is a critical piece. SM says we wouldnt be able to transfer the data to a private company, some people might see it is problematic. MA says lets discuss it further.

MA says lay a lot more groundwork, keep it in front of BATF. Moving COS forward at appropriate time, if we can operate it, what are the ramifications? SM says for Big Dog we want to to recommend we do education and research to help get the Fiber Initiative Passed. A random sample survey; its anonymized, and its something that DCN isn't equipped to do. We can't make any knowledgeable arguments about penetration rates based on the two recent surveys that have gone forward, the Yolo Broadband, or CCG rate surveys. Perhaps its possible to find a professor at UCD or some grad student to help do that.

Committee reports and BigDOG

DSOMA dilemma school district asserted authority and took over, and the dispute is over.

SM has composed an email to DJUSD Operations Staff about what everything went down with the list, and it seems like the DJUSD is happy with the resolution of the situation.

BigDOG - MA might try to get letters out for matching funds, SE volunteers to assist.

RN chimes in that we might try to get the DCN RAC redefined, MA says maybe at a board retreat. Come up with a focus to stick to and do. MA Hone in on targets.

Next meeting location/announcements

Adjournment