Shutesbury - Leverett Broadband Joint Committee Meeting
Minutes - September 19, 2007
Leverett Town Hall - 7 pm

Members Present: Robbie Leppzer from Wendell, Weezie Houle, Glenn Cherrits, Aaron Addison and Howell Lee from Shutesbury, and Rob Brooks from Leverett.

  1. Approve Agenda
  2. Approve August minutes
  3. Updates from town reps:
    1. Shutesbury –
      1. Weezie Houle - Newsletter submission
      2. Glen Cherrits –
        1. Was requested to present the $25 M to Incentive Fund Shutesbury Select Board
        2. Emphasis right now is on getting the bill passed - they are shooting for sometime around Thanksgiving.
        3. We need to give Rosenberg and Kulik the political capital to go fight for us in the legislature (have constituents send letters to them).
        4. There is an unserved and underserved issue. Shutesbury will need to advocate for themselves as an underserved community.
        5. Shutesbury Select Board wants to know what they should do. They would be happy to do whatever we suggest.
    1. Leverett – Rob Brooks - Rob B.: locally owned ISP discussion. 
    2. Wendell - Robbie Leppzer – none - absent
  1. PVC News
    1. Next PVC meeting is currently scheduled for October 19.
    2. Installing Beta in New Salem tomorrow - September 20, 2007.
    3. PVC is advising that we tell Rosenberg and Kulik that their constituents need broadband.
    4. Need must be documented by demand surveys.
    5. Consultant will be advising towns as to what towns will need to do to prepare
    6. We should have the surveys returned to the Town clerks with the census return mailing.
    7. Fall forum on preparing for deployment. Don't know when it will be.
  2. To Do List:
    1. Glenn will submit a piece for the Shutebury newsletter distribution on Sept.21.
  3. New Business:
    1. Process of adding members to the committee
    2. Create a subcommittee to create a survey. Five members volunteered with Howell Lee named as chair.
  4. Votes Taken: Create a subcommittee to create a survey. Passed unanimously.
  1. Visitors: Peter Schilling, Irv and Linda Seidman, Greg and Tyler Vouros from Shutesbury, Bill Irvine and Lorette Savoy from Leverett, Mary Ellen Kennedy from New Salem.
  1. Next Meeting: Wendell - Wednesday, October 17, 7 p.m., Wendell Town Hall