HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/09/2006Municipal Telecommunications Utility (MTU) Board Minutes
May 9, 2006
Board Members Present: Scott Crowley, Bob Heaton, Doris Kelley, Randy Pilkington, and
Jim Waterbury (all 5)
Staff Member Present: Linda Craun
Jim Waterbury called the meeting to order. Doris Kelley moved, Randy Pilkington seconded that
the minutes of April 11, 2006, be approved as submitted. Motion carried.
Doris Kelley moved, Bob Heaton seconded that the Budget Report dated May 3, 2006, be
approved as submitted. Motion carried.
Moved on to Item IV, Update on Request for Maps. Linda Craun reported that McLeod had
responded with electronic maps. Also, Qwest would be responding through their attorney. She
was not aware of any other responses. Randy Pilkington reminded everyone that they were given
until May 15th to respond. At the Board's request, Linda Craun will ask the Engineering
Department to provide the Board with hard copies of the maps.
Scott Crowley now present. Jim Waterbury indicated we would now return to Item III,
Nominations. Bob Heaton moved that Jim Waterbury be Chair and Doris Kelley be Vice -Chair
with terms to expire June 30, 2007; seconded by Randy Pilkington. Motion carried. There was
discussion as to how long the term should be and when it should end. Moved by Bob Heaton,
seconded by Scott Crowley that terms be one year expiring June 30th each year. Motion carried.
Doris Kelley has not yet completed the written report on the City survey; she had some concems
and questions and is meeting with Jim Quint (MIS for Waterloo) next Tuesday. She felt there
were some operational comments on the surveys that Mayor Hurley should be aware of before
the report is made public. After some discussion, it was moved by Bob Heaton that a two -person
sub -committee (consisting of Doris Kelley and Randy Pilkington, with Jim Waterbury as an
alternate to Randy) meet with Mayor Hurley and Jim Walsh and present the report and then bring
it to the Board by mid -June; this was seconded by Scott Crowley. Motion carried.
Doris Kelley met with Steve Dust of Cedar Valley Alliance. The cost to conduct the survey
(including data entry, data analysis, statistical analysis, and graphics generation for
approximately 100 businesses) has gone down to $14,258.00. She has not heard back from Steve
Dust as to whether or not Cedar Valley Alliance is willing to absorb those fees. Bob Heaton
suggested that possibly some private businesses may be willing to chip in for costs, as it would
eliminate the necessity of doing their own surveys.
It was suggested that a formal request to cover the survey costs be forwarded from the Board to
Steve Dust. Jim Waterbury will contact Steve Dust to see if the written request should be
directed to him or to the Cedar Valley Alliance Board. Jim Waterbury will go ahead and draft the
letter, run it by Jim Walsh, and send it out. Scott Crowley thought we needed some type of
deadline —funds by July 0, eight weeks to complete survey, back by September 1st. It was
pointed out that a third party would own the results of the survey and that those results should be
presented by that third party to this Board and the City Council.
Doris Kelley reported that the IAMU Workshop was well attended; Jim Walsh was there.
However, a lot of the attendees were from cities that currently have a municipal utility, and the
presentations concerned operations. Several of the cities that recently passed referendums, but do
not have a current utility were also there. The Board has received a letter from West Union
asking if there is interest in setting up a workshop in mid -June for these cities. Linda Craun
responded to West Union that there is interest in this type of workshop.
It was also suggested that Waterloo could possibly meet with more local cities (i.e., Hudson, or
others in Cedar Valley). This meeting could possibly be in mid -July or in the next 3 to 4 months.
Jim Waterbury would like to invite Steve Dust to our next meeting, and possibly Mark Kitrell to
the meeting after that for presentations. We may also want to ask incumbent providers to present
what they have currently and what their future plans are; also maybe someone from John Deere,
the medical field, and Hawkeye Community College.
The Board has received a letter from a fiber utilities group. It was decided we should invite them
in for a presentation, either with the local groups or just our Board, in June or July. Jim
Waterbury will correspond with them.
Meeting schedule was discussed. Moved by Bob Heaton, seconded by Doris Kelley, that regular
meetings be held the second Tuesday of each month at 4:00 p.m. and that the fourth Tuesday of
each month be reserved for workshops or special presentations. Motion carried.
Erl Schmiesing asked if the West Union meeting would be open to the public; Jim Waterbury
will check with Jim Walsh.
Others wanted to know who had been sent requests for maps —McLeod, Qwest and Mediacom,
weren't sure if CFU had been asked. They pointed out that there were several others using the
City's rights -of -way, i.e., MCI, Iowa Network Services, ICN, and Van Miller. They felt requests
should be sent to them also. A question was brought up as to whether once a company furnished
these maps to the City, would they then be public information? The Board felt they should check
with Jim Walsh on that
Doris Kelley moved, Scott Crowley seconded that the meeting be adjourned. Motion carried.
Linda Craun
Secretary