Broadband Committee Minutes

Broadband Committee Meeting                               08/29/18

Attendance : BJ Johnson, Cliff Weiss, George Cane, Kenn Basler

          Joint meeting with Select Board.     At 4:01pm Carol recused herself

.The purpose of today’s meeting is to determine if there is a role for the Broadband Committee going forward.

Don asked that a  review of counsel’s opinion on the project as a whole; counsel has stated that the project due to the cost has to be bid out which would eliminate the need to enter into negotiations with Fiber Connect prior to knowing who will bid. Broadband Committee members had hoped to find a work around to issuing another RFP, Discussion ensued and all present had different interpretations of what the town could or could not do.

The question will be reframed and posed to Town Counsel again directly from the Broadband Committee.  BJ, Larry and Kenn will meet with town counsel and report back

A motion was made to reinstate the Broadband Committee

George Cain noted the recent connection that Cliff Weiss has to Fiber Connect and suggested that it is necessary to determine if he has a conflict of interest and can continue work on the Broadband Committee. Cliff admitted that his company was doing business. Cliff agreed to recuse himself from further broadband committee work and at Don’s suggestion get an opinion from the Ethics Division

Don Coburn moved two go into executive session as per #10 of the Open Meeting Law executive session exemptions to “discuss trade secrets or confidential, competitively-sensitive or other proprietary information provided in the course of activities conducted by a governmental body as an energy supplier under a license granted by the department of public utilities pursuant to section 1F of chapter 164”. The motion was seconded and approved. Present were Donald Coburn, Kenneth Basler and Larry Klein. It was agreed that the Board would return to open session. Broadband Committee would not return to open session.