[HISTORY: Adopted by the Council of the City of Mount Vernon 9-14-1983, approved 9-15-1983. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
The City Council recognizes that meaningful community access
to electronic communications will become a reality only when all the
people of Mount Vernon are able to obtain the necessary equipment,
training, technical assistance and channels at a minimal and nonprohibitive
charge and on a continuing and nondiscriminatory basis; in order to
maximize such effects, the Mount Vernon Cable Television Advisory
Committee has been organized to stimulate and facilitate open community
use of the electronic media.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
The Mount Vernon Cable Advisory Committee.
Group W Cable, Inc., or any corporation that succeeds Group
W Cable, Inc., as the holder of the cable television franchise for
the City of Mount Vernon.
Seven members who represent the Mount Vernon community, including
two members appointed by the Mayor, two members appointed by the City
Council, two members appointed by the Board of Education and one member
appointed by the franchise holder.
The Mount Vernon Cable Advisory Committee is hereinafter referred
to as the "Committee" and is established for the City of Mount Vernon,
New York.
[Amended 8-12-1992, approved 8-13-1992; 3-26-1997, approved 3-27-1997; 3-27-2013, approved 3-28-2013]
The Committee shall consist of the following members who shall
represent the Mount Vernon community, including four members appointed
by the City Council, two members appointed by the Mayor of Mount Vernon,
two members appointed by the Mount Vernon Board of Education and a
representative from each cable provider. No member of the Committee
shall be an elected official. One member appointed by each designated
authority shall serve a one-year renewable term, and one member appointed
by the aforementioned designated authority shall serve a two-year
renewable term, and new members shall be appointed or old members
reappointed by the aforementioned designated authorities whenever
necessary. In addition, each designated authority may appoint two
alternate members who shall serve as substitutes for the members it
appoints. The alternates shall serve on the Committee whenever the
appointed members cannot serve. The members of the Committee shall
hereafter be referred to as delegates and alternates, respectively.
One member appointed by each designated authority shall serve
a one-year renewable term, and one member shall serve a two-year renewable
term. The member appointed by the franchise holder shall serve a two-year
renewable term.
The members of the Committee shall serve without compensation.
A.
The
Committee shall have three officers, a Chairperson, a Vice Chairperson
and a Secretary.
B.
The
Chairperson presides at all meetings and shall execute all agreements
or resolutions and perform all duties incident to this office.
C.
The
Vice Chairperson shall preside in the absence of the Chairperson.
D.
The
Secretary shall issue notices of all regular and special meetings
and be responsible for the keeping of all minutes of meetings and
records pertaining to the work of the Committee.
The Chairperson, Vice Chairperson and Secretary shall be elected
by a majority of the members present at the first meeting of the Committee
and annually thereafter.
The Committee may appoint an administrator and such assistants
and staff as it deems necessary to further the purpose of the Cable
Television Advisory Committee. Such administrator, assistants and
staff shall serve at the pleasure of the Committee for no compensation.
The Committee is authorized and empowered to do the following:
A.
To seek the advice, representation and participation of all citizens,
organizations and groups which comprise the Mount Vernon community,
including representatives of all socioeconomic levels.
B.
To make special efforts to ensure that the telecommunications needs
of groups, which heretofore have traditionally not had the opportunity
to use such facilities, are considered, and to continually investigate
various means of meeting such needs.
C.
To work in cooperation with the cable franchise holder in Mount Vernon
to make a local access studio and equipment available to the public.
D.
To work with the cable franchise holder in Mount Vernon to seek out
and encourage public access use by all citizens and groups in Mount
Vernon.
E.
To make every effort to ensure that persons seeking to produce programming
representing any and all points of view will be permitted to use the
facilities and that such programming will be consistent with the Constitutional
guaranties of freedom of speech and the laws of the United States
and the State of New York.
F.
To take such steps and undertake such programs as will enhance and
foster the aforementioned objectives and to ensure quality programming
for this community.
A.
This Committee shall meet in the Mayor's conference room at
City Hall at a time designated by the Chairperson. In the event of
a holiday, the Chairperson shall schedule a meeting on the evening
when a quorum of the Committee can be gathered.
B.
Committee meetings, in addition to those regularly scheduled, may
be called by the Chairperson or upon the request of the Mayor or any
member of the Committee. Copies of the minutes of each meeting will
be forwarded to the Mayor, City Council and Board of Education.
C.
The presence of the Chairperson and three members of the Committee
shall constitute a quorum necessary to transact the business of the
Committee.
D.
Any Committee members who fail to attend three consecutive meetings
without good cause shall be removed from the Committee.
The rules in Robert's Rules of Order, Revised, shall govern
this Committee in all cases to which they are applicable and in which
they are not inconsistent with these bylaws.
