Information

Connecticut State Statute 16-331 establishes regional cable television advisory councils. The Cable TV Advisory Council charge is to carry forth the work set in CT State Statutes 16-331 and 16-333 as an extension of the PURA; to be an active partner supporting the designated Community Access Provider programming and operations; and be the Advisory agent for Community Interests in communications with the Cable Television company about policies, products, & services. PURA Regulation Section 16-333-25 (included below) governs the appointment of members to the cable tv advisory council.

Cable TV Advisory Council of Eastern Connecticut Members

  • East Lyme
    Michael Meinz (Chair) – Town
    Dan Cleary – Town
    [Open Position] – BOE
  • Griswold
    Ed Berdick (Secretary) – Town
    James Barnie – Town
    [Open Position] – BOE
  • Killingly
    [Open Position] – Town
    [Open Position] – Town
    Stephen Marchesseault – BOE
  • Montville
    Temosticles Valdes – Town
    Serg St. Felix – Town
    [Open Position] – BOE
  • New London
    [Open Position] – Town
    [Open Position] – Town
    [Open Position] – Town
    [Open Position]  – BOE
    [Open Position]  – Library
  • Plainfield
    [Open Position] – Town
    [Open Position] – Town
    [Open Position] – BOE
  • Putnam
    [Open Position] – Town
    [Open Position] – Town
    [Open Position] – BOE
  • Sterling
    [Open Position] – Town
    [Open Position] – BOE
  • Waterford
    [Open Position] – Town
    Jeffrey Robillard – Town
    Craig Merriman (Treasurer) – BOE

PURA Regulation Section 16-333-25. Appointment of advisory council members

The members of each advisory council shall be appointed as follows:

(a) The chief elected official of each town in the franchise area shall appoint one or more members who are residents of said town in accordance with the population of said town as determined by the most recent United States census in the following manner:

(1) In towns having a population of less than 5,000 – one member.
(2) In towns having a population of at least 5,000 but less than 20,000 – two members.
(3) In towns having a population of at least 20,000 but less than 50,000 – three members.
(4) In towns having a population of 50,000 or more – four members.

Insofar as is possible said appointments should reflect and be representative of the cultural, educational, ethnic and economic makeup of the population inhabiting said towns.

(b) The board of education in each town in the franchise area shall appoint one member of the advisory council. Such member shall reside in said town or be a member of said board of education, or be employed by said board of education.

(c) One member shall be appointed to the advisory council in each franchise area to represent all of the libraries of general public use located in the towns within that franchise. In the town in the franchise area having the largest population therein, as determined by the most recent United States census, the public library board charged with oversight and management of the town’s public library as defined by Section 11-24a(b) of the General Statutes shall appoint the advisory council member. In the event there is no public library board in charge of the public library in that town, or if the library of general public use in that town, is a private eleemosynary library, or if no library in either category is located in that town, then said advisory council member shall be appointed by the chief elected official of said town. The advisory council member appointed hereunder shall be either a library board member of a professional library staff employee of a public library or a private eleemosynary library of general public use in a town within the franchise area.

(d) The franchisee shall appoint one member, who shall possess some expertise in the field of cable television and who shall serve without vote on the advisory council.

(e) Appointment of advisory council members pursuant to subsections (a) through (d), of this section, shall be subject to the following limitations:

(1) No paid employee of a nonprofit organization providing community access operations may serve on an advisory council.
(2) No employee of a CATV company, its subsidiaries or affiliates may serve on an advisory council except in the position of franchise representative serving without vote.
(3) At least one seat, but no more than 25 percent of the total seats to which appointments may be made to an advisory council may be filled by persons who also are members of a board of directors of a nonprofit organization providing community access operations.
(4) Advisory council members who also serve as a member of a board of directors of a nonprofit organization providing community access operations shall recuse themselves from voting on any financial matters related to their access organization.

PURA Regulation Section 16-333-26. Term of advisory council members

Each member of the advisory council shall serve for a term of two (2) years from the first day of July in the year in which such member is appointed. If an advisory council member has three consecutive unexcused absences or does not attend 50 percent of meetings duly noticed and held within a 12 month period, then the member will be deemed to have resigned from the council.