CC MINUTES 12171985 - Laserfiche WebLink

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-6- The cable commissioner said some cable companies are turning over the money dedicated towards the management of the public access channels to public access corporations and many are seeking legal solution under which they would not have to provide public access at all . This, according to Mr, Kaeding, would result in the loss of a valuable tool for the community, especially when it came to access for the fast growing older sector who in some communities have become the most active public access participants. The Mayor said he understood how profit had to be the bottom line for Group W but as a communications worker himself, he speculated some of the reasons for not having service put into a home could be the poor installations provided by the cable company. Mr. Kaeding told him one of the few benefits he had derived from his five years of service on the cable commission had been that at least he had an excellent installation on his own home. He was thanked for keeping the Council informed regarding the latest cable developments. In reference to the comment in the December 9th staff notes that "plowing went well during the recent snowfall ", Commissioner Ranallo indicated he had received more complaints about such service after this snowfall than he had in the last eight years. Councilmember Makowske said she had also received a number of calls indica- ting "the level of plowing was just not up to what we have come to expect" . Mr. Childs said he perceived the staff notes comment should have included the phrase "all things considered", because the crews had experienced equipment failure on two of the plows and since two of the most skilled Public Works employees had retired last year and their replacements were training on the job. • Councilmember Ranallo speculated that, as Councilmember Makowske had observed, "the community is so accustomed to such high quality service from the Public Works Department, that when there is even the slightest deviation, it is noticed right away" . Councilmember Makowske said the plows had obviously been out all night because when her husband took -his children to get their papers for delivering, he had been able to get right through, and the crews must have been working all Sunday night, because, as Mr. Childs had indicated, the roads filled in as fast as they were plowed that night. Councilmember Marks indicated the complaints he had received had related to the need to sand icy hills in his area. Stuart Bonniwell , CPA, - 3025 East 50th Street, Minneapolis, .who .had previously been associated with the Adrian Helgeson Company, was present to discuss his bid to do the City's audit now that he had gone on his own. In his December 13th memorandum, the Manager had indicated the quotes from the Helgeson firm and Mr. Bonniwell had been similar, but staff was recommending Mr. Bonniwell 's be accepted because he had promised to complete the audit in April , much sooner than the Helgeson firm had been doing, which had caused problems for the City in the past. Mr. Childs had also informed the Council that the Helgeson firm would not be opposing the transfer of the City's audit since Mr. Bonniwell had brought the account with him when he had moved from the George Hansen firm. The .Finance_Director:and J.Mr.-. Bonn: well answered questions pErta ning to_ tne change;. The CPA said he had been the primary auditor on the City's account with Helgeson and would be operating by himself in the new firm at first. As an addition to his _quote, Mr. Bonniwell said he would prepare the legal compliance letter now required • by the State Auditor for the 1985 audit.