CV - CABLE ISSUES

Hi All,
The following Comment is from another thread:
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GIACOMO said...

I attended the ex.board/delegate meeting on cable concerns, the attendance was very low, take out the board members and the others in attendance was maybe 20-30 residence? I always feel that any situation that involves major ones should be presented at the meetings of delegates, again the ex. board approved, the delegates only could if wanted to give an imput afterwards, why include us if we have no imput? what was the urgency that it couldn't wait (2) weeks? I am hopeing that this contract dosen't put us into a situation where the few speak for all, I personally would like (1) vote rule on all major issues, up/or down, majority rules. Be cautious they all say they are working for our best interest and then later we find out we are the victims!I refer to the Company thats going to resolve the cable issue if possible? On this meeting even if 500 came the ex. board was the process used to approve or reject, and the delegates left with very little knowledge to take back to the association, the concinement deal a good one,and we are sworn to secrecy not to tell others after it was stated to us???, I in due respect thought we were in line with ,CIA, FBI, remember if they started this game, not to tell other Villages, from the get go beware ?????, but I hope for us in CV we can reach a resolve in the next coming months? I said enough maybe to much? Delegate Special Agent xx007xx Randall, I couldn't hear your Input but I grasped the word Residents, and for that I am gratful.
Nov 24, 2008 3:28:00 AM
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Hi Giacomo,
Much effort was put into finding a negotiator team to help us deal with the giants of the TV provider industry. We had two different firms come and speak to our Cable Committee; the meetings were poorly attended, 50 persons at most.
These meetings were well advertised in advance, but as often is the case, apathy won the day!

The Joint meeting of the Executive Board (EB) and the Delegate Assembly (DA) was merely a telescoping of the normal process; usually the EB would meet well in advance of the next DA meeting and their recommendation would be brought forward for the DA to consider and decide. In other words, the DA never has input during a meeting of the EB and thus it did not on this occasion.

The DA meeting was called to order directly after the EB recommendation and if there had been a quorum, there would have been a due consideration and vote by the DA. Again, apathy rules!

In this case, it should be noted that the signing of this contract with CSI, costs the Unit Owners nothing and in the long run may bring incentive payments and Bulk-Rate reduction in our Cable fee, which may total Millions of dollars . However, if CSI is unsuccessful in their efforts the cost to the Unit Owners continues to be nothing.

Now, as to confidentially: this is in regard to the exceptionally good rate which is to be paid to CSI, should they be successful. In that case, we agree to pay to CSI a small percentage of any incentive paid to us or of the savings in the Bulk-Rate monthly fee. This confidentiality is not from our Unit Owners, but rather from others who do not reside on the CV campus.
In any case, the full details were disclosed at the DA meeting.

Is it a realistic expectation, that this confidentiality can be maintained; perhaps not but we can try.

As for the urgency; there is an increase in Cable Rate scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2009. This increase is 5%, this increase in the face of a continuing removing of channels by Comcast. So, there is indeed some urgency to send Comcast the message that CV will not roll over in the face of their coercive tactics to force us all to take their Set-Top-Box at additional cost.

Also, in the event that a decision is made by the Unit Owners, that it is to our advantage to change providers from Comcast to someone else, a great deal of time will be required for the new provider to install their infrastructure in our Village. In this case, the sooner the better.

Finally as to your concern regarding the few speaking for the many; know all readers that any contract negotiated with any provider by CSI, be it Comcast, AT&T, Direct TV, The Dish Network, Hotwire Communications...Etc. will be brought through the regular process here in our Village. That means that the deal will come before the Officers Committee, The Executive Board and of course the Delegate Assembly. Such a large budget item could go no other route.

Thus far, your volunteers, the Cable Committee and the President of UCO, have served the Village well in this project and hopefully all matters will work out well for our Century Village.

Dave Israel
Cable Chair