NJ Public Broadcasting Authority Board
Minutes of Past Meetings:
New Jersey Public Broadcasting Authority
Board of Commissioners Meeting
December 13, 2007, 3:00 p.m.
Conference Call
MINUTES
Scott A. Kobler, Esq., Presiding
NJPBA Two Hundred Thirty Sixth Meeting
 Download Agenda
A meeting of the New Jersey Public Broadcasting Authority Board of Commissioners was held on December 13, 2007 at 3:00 p.m. via conference call due to weather. Mr. Kobler called the meeting to order. In accordance with the provisions of the Open Public Meetings law of the State of New Jersey, notice of this meeting has been filed with the Office of the Secretary of State, has been posted on the appropriate bulletin boards maintained for such purposes by the Authority, and distributed by press release to daily newspapers in New Jersey. Notice was made ten days in advance of this meeting.
Mr. Kobler requested a formal roll call and quorum was confirmed. Commissioners participating were Scott A. Kobler, Chair; Patricia Costante, First Vice Chair; Steven Fiske, Second Vice Chair; Stephanie Hoopes Halpin, Treasurer; Ed Carman, Chief of Staff, Department of Community Affairs (on behalf of Commissioner Joe Doria); Dale Schmid, Visual and Arts Coordinator, Department of Education (on behalf of Commissioner Lucille Davy); Robert Smartt, Ethics Liaison Officer, Department of the Treasury (on behalf of State Treasurer Michellene Davis); David Wald, Director of Communications, Office of the Attorney General (on behalf of Attorney General Anne Milgram). Also participating were Elizabeth Christopherson, Executive Director, NJN; David Balaban, Deputy Attorney General; Laura Longman, Director, Board Affairs and Executive Office Operations, NJN Foundation; Robert Prindible, Deputy Executive Director for Finance and Administration, NJN; Bill Schnorbus, Deputy Executive Director of Engineering, NJN; and Ronnie Weyl, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, NJN Foundation.
Mr. Kobler began his report by thanking everyone for coming together via telephone due to the inclement weather. He expressed his apologies to Lou Presti and everyone involved in the Ten Crucial Days premiere and holiday greeting taping that were regretfully cancelled also due to the weather. He noted that previously scheduled updates regarding NJN News, Another View, Images/Imagenes, Web Services and Media Productions would be rescheduled at a later date.
Mr. Kobler next asked for any comments on the minutes from the last meeting. There were no comments and Mr. Kobler asked for a motion to approve the following resolution:
Be it resolved that the regular session minutes of the October 25, 2007 meeting are hereby approved as presented.
The motion was made by Dr. Steven Fiske and seconded by Stephanie Hoopes Halpin. Ed Carman and Patricia Costante abstained from the vote and the motion carried unanimously. Mr. Kobler noted that the Executive Session minutes from the October 25 meeting would be presented for approval at our next meeting.
Next, Mr. Kobler brought attention to two additional action items included in the previously distributed meeting material. The next resolution was for the appointment of NJN Foundation Trustees. He noted that Maxine Ballen, Kurt Borowsky, S. Jervis Brinton Jr., Ralph Izzo, Daniel Jara and Tim Teen are Trustees presented for reelection. Gil Medina, Executive Managing Director, Cushman & Wakefield of New Jersey and Craig Wigginton, National Audit Partner, Telecommunications, Deloitte are two new candidates who have been cultivated by the NJN Foundation Committee on Trusteeship and the Foundation looks forward to having their expertise on their Board.
Mr. Kobler presented the following resolution for discussion:
Whereas, a majority of the Foundation Trustees shall be selected from among or by the members of the Commission.
Be it resolved, that Maxine Ballen, Kurt Borowsky, S. Jervis Brinton, Jr., Ralph Izzo, Daniel Jara, and Tim Teen are reappointed as Trustees of the NJN Foundation for three year terms ending in 2010.
Be it resolved, that Gil Medina, and Craig Wigginton are appointed as Trustees of the NJN Foundation for three year terms ending in 2010.
In addition, the terms of these Trustees shall continue until such time as their successors are duly appointed and qualified.
There was no discussion and a motion was made by Patricia Costante, seconded by Dr. Fiske and carried unanimously.
Mr. Kobler thanked the Board and presented the last resolution presented at the meeting which was the recognition of a key staff member, Charlie Loughery, NJN Transmitter Engineering Manger. Mr. Loughery was retiring after 26 ½ hours. Mr. Kobler read the following resolution:
WHEREAS, Charles Loughery, Transmitter Engineering Manager, has brought good will to many at NJN;
WHEREAS, Charles Loughery has contributed to the NJN Television Engineering Department for 26 years, ensuring quality transmission of NJN programming to thousands of homes throughout New Jersey and beyond;
WHEREAS, during his tenure with NJN, he has applied his skills and talents ensuring quality transmission standards of NJN programming;
WHEREAS, he has been instrumental in applying for and receiving federal grants in the millions of dollars;
WHEREAS, during his tenure, he has been instrumental in the construction of multiple digital television transmission and radio systems with NJN;
WHEREAS, during his tenure, Charles has acted as NJN’s in house FCC consultant;
WHEREAS, his tireless efforts to provide skills and talents to a multitude of tasks including the maintenance and operation of NJN’s 8 television transmitters, 7 radio stations, 4 television translators and 2 boosters as well as remote broadcasts of many kind – from State of the State addresses and election coverage, to local sports programs;
WHEREAS, his tireless commitment to a high standard of broadcast quality has allowed NJN viewers to enjoy news and creative programming at its best;
WHEREAS, his humor, friendship and his ability to imitate many a supervisor and manager has always been welcome and put a smile on his fellow co-workers while often brightening the day at NJN;
WHEREAS, the staff and management of NJN, send our best wishes to Charlie for happiness and good health in the years to come and much success in all his future endeavors;
WE, THEREFORE, RESOLVE, on this Thirteenth day of December, Two Thousand Seven, to congratulate Charles Loughery for his 26 years of dedicated service to NJN Public Television and Radio, and to extend our best wishes on the occasion of his retirement.
A motion was made by Dr. Fiske and seconded by Ms. Halpin. The motion carried unanimously.
Mr. Kobler thanked the Board. Ms. Christopherson echoed his thanks and noted how much this resolution will mean to Mr. Loughery. She stated that she will work with Bill Schnorbus to see when Charlie will come back so we can properly salute him and thank him for his dedication.
Mr. Kobler next asked the Board to convene into Executive Session and reminded everyone that what is discussed in Executive Session is confidential. He read the following:
The Authority will now conduct a meeting, to which the general public is not admitted, to discuss and, if necessary, to act upon pending and/or anticipated legal, personnel, and contractual matters. Such discussions may be disclosed to the public when such disclosures may be made without adversely affecting the Authority’s pending and/or anticipated legal, personnel, and contractual matters.
Mr. Kobler asked for a motion which was made by Dr. Fiske and seconded by Ms. Costante. The motion was carried unanimously and the Board convened into Executive Session.
When Executive Session was over, Mr. Kobler asked Ms. Christopherson to continue the meeting by reviewing the scorecard.
Strategic Goal I: To advance NJN’s mission and vision as advocates and stewards of public television.
Ms. Christopherson reported that the Finance Committee had met in Trenton the week before. She noted how we appreciate the attention to detail the Committee is displaying in these especially challenging times and asked Ms. Halpin to give the Treasurer’s report. Ms. Halpin reported that as Ms. Christopherson mentioned, the Finance Committee met on December 5, 2007 to review the 4-month results for the period ending October 31, 2007, the FY 2008 Forecast, and FY 2009 Planning Process.
There is an excess of revenue over expenses of $291,000 against a budgeted forecast of ($69,000). The negative forecast is due to NJN receiving less than expected for the FY08 Salary Adjustment Program.
Operating expenses for the four-month period reflected a positive variance of $279,000. This variance is expected to be absorbed by operations during the fiscal year.
In the FY08 forecast, NJN anticipates that it will end the current fiscal year as budgeted. This projection is based on the year-to-date results and with the expectation that the State will not require any further cuts. Also, NJN will need to use the FY08 Foundation Supplemental Grant of $1,100,000 unless the State grants a waiver on the $1,000,000 fringe benefits charge.
In the FY09 planning process, NJN submitted possible budget reductions of $1,400,000 or 24% of its FY09 adjusted appropriation of $5,846,000 to OMB. NJN will be meeting with OMB and Treasury next week to discuss these reductions further.
Ms. Halpin asked if there were any questions. There were no questions regarding the Treasurer’s report and Ms. Halpin also reported on the Board Leadership Campaign. She noted how important the Campaign was to let other donors know that the Board members believe strongly in what NJN does and are willing to donate.
Ms. Halpin asked that every Commissioner join her in supporting NJN with a gift to the FY08 Board Leadership Campaign. She let the Board members know that personalized letters and commitment form were being mailed to everyone with a return envelope requesting a response by December 31.
Ms. Christopherson thanked Ms. Halpin for the Treasurer’s report. She also pointed out a wonderful job Ms. Halpin did adapting a letter to her community telling a compelling story to garner additional support. She next asked David Miller, Executive Vice President of the Foundation to report on Foundation highlights.
Mr. Miller reported to the Board that the Foundation was pleased to promote from within to fill the vacant position in the Underwriting department. After conducting a search, Stephanie Lett, Member Services Manager, was promoted to Underwriting and has already brought in a renewal contract.
Strategic Goal II: To serve New Jersey with Uniquely New Jersey programs and services that meet important public needs.
Ms. Christopherson reminded the Board that the clock was ticking to the 2009 digital conversion deadline. She noted that most of our audience does not receive our signal solely over the air and that those audience members who do receive our signal over the air need to get a special box to receive a digital transmission. Ms. Christopherson noted how delighted she was that the Public Value Committee was working to communicate NJN’s value in new ways with the public. She asked Patricia Costante to give the Public Value Committee report.
Ms. Costante reported that at the last Public Values Committee meeting, the Committee identified several key action steps such as expanding NJN’s communications with broader constituencies and inviting Committee members to become involved in NJN’s broadband initiative.
The next meeting of the Public Value Committee is scheduled for January 14, 2008 in Trenton. When the Committee meets in January, they will discuss outreach efforts to inform NJN members, major donors and legislators about the transition to DTV and the opportunities for NJN to provide even greater public service. The Committee will also discuss the idea of holding public information sessions in late spring/early fall that will provide an overview of NJN in this digital environment, including a discussion of our broadband initiative, our efforts to meet the needs of community members who are hearing and visually impaired, and our DTV marketing plans.
Given the fiscal crisis facing the State, these are challenging times for NJN and for New Jersey so legislative outreach will be a key goal next year. The Committee is making plans to invite a legislator to speak to the Committee and possibly inviting members of the Public Relations and Outreach Committee to join them. The Committee will work on action steps which include making plans for a legislative outreach effort next year to introduce newly elected legislators to NJN and provide a re-orientation for re-elected legislators. The Committee will also be actively involved in planning and participating in the Broadband Summit scheduled for March 11, 2008.
Ms. Costante also noted that NJN will be working with the New Jersey League of Municipalities and The Star-Ledger to have a premiere screening of its new environmental documentary, Green Builders. Green Builders profiles a cast of green building pioneers who have taken the leap into making their home or workplace a more energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly place.
One additional item she noted was an initiative we have undertaken to remind state legislators of NJN’s public value to the community by sending a monthly letter that highlights various programs and services we provide the people of New Jersey. The latest legislative letter highlighted NJN’s special historical program Ten Crucial Days and our collaboration with Trenton and Patriot’s Week.
Ms. Costante said she looked forward to meeting with the Committee on January 14 and that she would keep the Board updated on their further work.
Ms. Christopherson thanked Ms. Costante for her updates.
Strategic Goal III: Complete build out of digital infrastructure.
The Engineering department reports that it is on track with the digital conversion based on funds available, as well as operational planning for the new digital master control. A number of contracts have been approved by the Attorney General’s Office and NJN is awaiting final approval from the Division of Purchase and Property.
We recently received a grant to look into the use of webisodes as well as working with the Thomas Edison Foundation on a webisode. She promised the Board an update as this progresses. She also suggested that Phyllis Salowe-Kaye would have a report on her production workshop initiative for the Board at the next Board meeting
Ms. Christopherson pointed out that we still have $474,000 at risk in federal funding for the master control build out should NJN and Azcar not have a contract in place by December 31, 2007.
As part of digital transition planning an IT strategic plan has been developed to serve as guide posts throughout the planning process and help management prioritize among alternative strategies for implementing its overall mission. These technologies will be used to support the business functions of NJN’s business, administrative and technical units.
The department is also establishing best practices for the transition to and implementation of digital media in the areas of content, distribution, operations, and promotion is an overall need to move the network forward into the digital age.
Ms. Christopherson reported that Ronnie Weyl and she had the opportunity to attend the W2i Digital Conference the previous week. This conference aligns with Governor Corzine’s NJ Connected Summit.
Strategic Goal IV: To provide for the human resources and administrative needs to achieve goals through best practices and operational excellence.
Ms. Christopherson pointed out that included with the scorecard in the meeting material was a summary of highlights. She pointed out again that travel continues to be severely restricted. To overcome our inability to send staff to learning opportunities, we continue to work very hard to bring in industry leaders to speak with staff. We are very grateful to our Board members for their dedication of time and resources.
Mr. Kobler asked if there was any immediate risk for equipment failures. Ms. Christopherson responded that as discussed previously, the capital plan shared with the Board notes that yes, we have a considerable risk of equipment failures because a portion of our equipment has exceeded its life expectancy by several decades. Bill Schnorbus mentioned a failure that had happened the night before that was obvious to viewers. We will provide an overview of the equipment / infrastructure risks again at our next Board meeting.
Mr. Kobler thanked everyone for participating in the meeting by telephone. He also noted Ms. Halpin's suggestion for all Board members to make a donation before the end of the year. He thanked everyone for their great enthusiasm for NJN and thanked Ms. Christopherson for keeping everyone so well informed.
He noted that the next meeting would be held February 7, 2007 in Newark and asked for any final comments. Ms. Christopherson thanked everyone for their time and wished everyone a happy holiday.
Mr. Kobler asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting which was made by Bob Smartt and seconded by Dr. Fiske. The meeting was adjourned.
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