5
May
2021

April 7, 2021 Minutes

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CTAC Meeting Minutes   April 7, 2021 – ZOOM TELECONFERENCE
(due to virus pandemic)

Attending members:

Yvonne Manning-Jones  – (New Haven) – Advisor – Temporary Chairperson
Laurel Coleman (Hamden) Advisor
George Alexander (Hamden) Treasurer
Tom Costa (New Haven Library System)
Johnes Ruta – (New Haven) – Acting Secretary

Sharon Codeane – Comcast Represntative – not in attendance
Joe Schofield         – CTV Represntative – not in attendance.

  1. Call to order 6:05pm.   Teleconference members on Zoom.2.     March Minutes
    Changes requested – Laurel – none; Yvonne – none.

    3.     Old Business

    a.   CTAC Facebook page: Yvonne states there have been no changes.

    b. Laurel has sent an email to Andrew at CTV requesting CTV to post CTAC request for new members from underrepresented towns, especially West Haven, which currently
    has no representative on CTAC.

    Laurel asked if the Council was ready to move to the agenda item dealing with consumers. (The discussion proceeded.) She mentioned Ms. Fern Coleman contacted her (Laurel) to see if there was assistance available to reduce her Comcast bill since she (Fern) was unemployed. Fern indicated that a Comcast representative stated that she needed to contact the Unemployment office to obtain a coupon to present to Comcast. Fern contacted the Unemployment Office, and a representative stated they were not familiar with any coupon type program. (Fern is a Comcast customer, and her contract has expired.)

George indicated that the only program he was aware of was the Internet Essentials Program, that Sharon had shared with the Council in the past. Laurel said that, she wanted to have this matter followed up, and wanted to follow protocol which has been used in the past with such consumer inquires and complaints. The protocol has been to provide the Chair (Peaches) with the inquiry or complaint, and she inquires with the provider (Comcast). Laurel indicated she would contact Peaches to pass Fern Coleman’s inquiry onto to Comcast.

4.     Treasurer’s Report

  1. George reports “no change in status;” no expenditures.b. CTAC Annual Report to be filed; this will be done via online Form supplied with
    form questions.

    Johnes makes a Motion to accept George’s report, Tom Costa seconds this Motion. Carried.

  2. 5. New Business

    Laurel states that there have been numerous complaints to Comcast about their
    “unjustified” rate increases during the pandemic, + $10 in February 2020 and and
    additional $10 in January 2021.b. George mentions the New Haven Independent report: “Comcast boondagle in attempts
    to set up a city-wide WiFi internet that estimates will cost $1 Million !”

 

7:02 pm, Johnes makes Motion to Adjourn. Yvonne seconds. Agreed.

Next CTAC Meeting: Wednesday, May 5, 2021, 6:00pm, via Zoom.

April 7th  Meeting Minutes respectfully submitted by Johnes Ruta, (New Haven) Acting Secretary.