COMMUNITY COUNCIL

Nebraska Information Technology Commission

Monday, October 24, 2005, 10:00 a.m.

Videoconference Sites:

Alliance: Alliance Learning Center-Rm. 123, 1750 Sweetwater St.
Chadron: Chadron State College Student Center-Scottsbluff Rm., 10th & Main
Lincoln-Executive: Lincoln Executive Bldg.-Suite 103, 521 S 14th St.
Columbus: Columbus Public Library-Columbus Rm., 2nd Fl., 2504 14th St.
Norfolk: NECC (Northeast Community College) MaClay Bldg.-Rm. 122, 801 East Benjamin Ave.
North Platte: McKinley Education Center, Rm. 1, 301 West “F” ST.
South Sioux City: City Hall, 1615 1st Avenue
Omaha-UNMC: UNMC (University of Nebraska Medical Center) 5014 Poynter Hall

PROPOSED MINUTES

Members and Alternates Present: Chris Anderson, K.C. Belitz, Len Benson, Donna Hammack, Lance Hedquist, John Jordison, Lynn Manhart, Michael Nolan, Ted Smith, and Bob Sweeney, Max Thacker, and Jerry Vap

Members Absent: Dr. Jerry Easterday, Norene Fitzgerald, Georgia Masters Keightley, Roger Keetle, Mary Wernke and Steve Williams

Guests: Brad McPeak, Kit Keller

Staff: Steve Henderson, Anne Byers, and Lori Lopez Urdiales

ROLL CALL, CALL TO ORDER, AND NOTICE OF POSTING

Mr. Sweeney called the meeting to order at 10:10 a.m. There were nine members present at the time of roll call. A quorum was present to conduct official business. The meeting notice and agenda were posted to the NITC and Web sites on October 17, 2005, and on the Public Meeting Calendar on October 18, 2005. The Columbus site was experiencing technical problems.

PUBLIC COMMENT

There was no public comment.

APPROVAL OF FEBRUARY MINUTES

Ms. Hammack moved to approve the August 8, 2005 minutes as presented. Mr. Vap seconded the motion. Roll call vote: Anderson-Yes, Benson-Yes, Hammack-Yes, Kelliher-Yes, Nolan-Yes, Smith-Yes, Sweeney-Yes, Thacker-Yes, and Vap-Yes. Results: 9-Yes, 0-No. Motion carried.

Information Technology Services Report (PDF 2MB). Council members were sent an e-mail informing them that report had been posted to the NITC Web site. A link to the report was also included.

Broadband Services Task Force (PDF 11k). The Legislature established an 18 member task force to examine how the state regulates and delivers telecommunications and broadband services. Members of the Broadband Services Task Force will consider a range of issues including the fair and equitable requirements for regulation of broadband, Internet and telecommunications services as they are provided by agencies or political subdivisions and public power suppliers, and advise state leaders on possible policy changes. Mr. Vap reported that the first meeting was an organizational meeting. Lt. Governor Sheehy was elected to serve as Chair.The study will be completed by December 1st, 2006.

Nebraska Fusion ’05 Annual E-Government Government Conference, November 15th. Members were invited to attend the free conference that will be held at the Embassy Suites in Lincoln. Three tracks will be available: Network Infrastructure, Security/Business Continuity. Mr. Hedquist has assisted with the conference planning. Ms. Hammack will be doing a session on the statewide networks.

Digital Nebraska: Envisioning our Future – Statewide Technology Plan. At the August 9th Joint NITC Advisory Groups (PDF 22k) Meeting, five initiatives were determined as possible action items that the councils could address collaboratively. Work groups were organized to further develop action items for the five initiatives.

MEMBERSHIP

Jeanne Saathoff has retired from the Kearney Public Library. Georgia Masters Keightly has resigned from the council to devote more time to the development of the teleheath network. Ms. Byers provided background information on Ms. Fettig.

Mr. Vap moved to approve the nomination of Linda Fettig to the NITC as a new council member representing rural development. Ms. Hammack seconded. Roll call vote: Vap-Yes, Thacker-Yes, Sweeney-Yes, Smith-Yes, Nolan-Yes, Kelliher-Yes, Hammack-Yes, Benson-Yes, and Anderson-Yes. Results: 9-Yes, 0-No. Motion carried.

A new co-chair will need to be elected at the next meeting. Members were asked to give consideration as to nominees.

TIGER FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS
(TIGER Review Summary Sheets (PDF 52k), Running Totals (PDF 18k), Applications (PDF 28k) )

Eleven projects were submitted. There is $20,000 available to fund grants. Three options were presented:

• Approve the first top 5 projects
• Fund the first top 5 and plus Nemaha
• Fund the first top 5 and negotiate Kearney Visitors’ bureau to match $2000 of their proposal.

Mr. Jordison arrived. Technical difficulties at the Columbus site were fixed. Mr. Belitz and Ms. Manhart joined the meeting.

Ms. Hammack moved to recommend full funding of the top five projects, plus the Kearney Visitor’s Bureau if the grantee is willing to negotiate a match, and if Kearney is not willing, then fund the Nemaha County project. Mr. Smith seconded. Roll call vote: Anderson-Yes, Belitz-Yes, Benson-Yes, Hammack-Yes, Jordison-Yes, Kelliher-Yes, Manhardt-Yes, Nolan-Yes, Smith-Yes, Sweeney-Yes, Thacker-Yes, and Vap-Yes. Results: 12-Yes, 0-No. Motion carried.

ACTION PLAN DEVELOPMENT (PDF 87k)

Members were reminded that the Council will need to further develop this portion of the statewide technology plan.

Telehealth. Community Council members who also serve on the Telehealth committee agreed to work on a action plan that would support the Nebraska Statewide Telehealth Network.

IT Planning & Development. The question was posed to members as to what are the next steps to address community IT planning and development. It was agreed to organize a group of council members to develop options. John Jordison, Ted Smith, K.C. Belitz, and Brad McPeak volunteered to serve on the work group. Steve Williams and Linda Fettig will be asked if they’d be interested in participating as well. Ms. Byers has a meeting on November 14th at 1:30 p.m. with Jim Emal and Sandy Scofield to discuss this issue.

NEW BUSINESS & NEXT MEETING

Mr. Smith reported that the ONE Library Consortium that was funded by an NITC grant has added two community colleges as members.

The next meeting of the NITC Community Council will be held in January or early February.

With no further business, Mr. Sweeny adjourned the meeting at 11:02 a.m.

Meeting minutes were taken by Lori Lopez Urdiales and reviewed by Anne Byers, Office of the CIO/NITC.