This Medford citizen purchased 125 or so pages of documents regarding the closed access television station and with just a brief review it is obvious that cable tv subscribers have been deprived of something the corporation was contractually obligated to provide. These documents show how much of our money went into an enterprise which chose to force imported programming - endless hours of Al Jazeera just one sorry example - and boring lectures and nonsense from board members rather than the facilitation of local programming that the public paid for, deserved, desired and was deprived of.
Thus, a seance is the most appropriate photo as we dig into the past to find out what the heck happened to our monies, to improve access for the future and to ensure that other non-profits do not engage in combativeness the way that Pop Warner and the access station did, or the tragic alleged abuse of the West Medford Hillside Little League funds.
For any city in America in 2013 to have three necessary entities rife with years of problems says much about the public servants paid handsomely to safeguard our resources. It also says a lot about the voters who don't display their anger at the polls during an election. Of course when the electronic "soap box" that is access is taken away from us, and as the community faces invective and sneers when asking simple questions about the "public swimming pool" - the red flags pop up at an exponential rate.
Looking at the TV3 Medford Budget FY 2013 the total income declares $204,569.60. For a fifth of a million dollars residents should have something tangible in hand to show for their monies. Perhaps a purchase of a building like the old brake pad place on the corner of Salem and Everett. Knock down the old building, build a new one, we the residents of Medford would own our own structure as Winthrop and Stoneham do.
Now this is important because this writer was asked - on PATCH - a question about volunteering to provide access to the community since the station was deficient. What was written about me was incorrect, so I wrote a column noting that any resident and politician had the option of appearing on my show. The problem, of course, is that the station was being paid to perform that service. To have the audacity to suggest a successful, award-winning producer (who even won an award funded in part by TV3 Medford) to do the work for free so that board members can have a Christmas party is not only illogical, it is highly questionable.
From my reading of the 2013 budget it seems there is only $24,082.61 left in the account, yet we don't really know the facts behind these numbers and the 125 pages demand further study. More questions need to be asked, more documents need to be provided, however this is a start.
It takes baby steps in any investigation before a team can successfully get the answers needed.
The Ceritified Public Accountant, Robert K. Foley, whose title also includes "Busienss Advisor," would have a better understanding. In his "Financial Statements and Accountants' Review Report" dated April 30, 2010, he describes the organization in this fashion:
"The company was incorporated as a non-profit organization and was formed to provide training to individuals in television production techniques and to provide cable casting of various community events and programs of the community interest over the public access channels of the cable television system. The major sources of funding are the annual contributions from Comcast Cable Communications Group Company, membership dues and activity fees."
When we read on Patch outrageous claims that:
a)the community should demand Comcast open up Video on Demand and Project Open Voice. We don't need to abide by the contract, go away.
or
b)Tell the greatest access volunteer of all time to do your show for you. Even though he's a volunteer and we've got the money. Go away.
c)Use the monies to pave the roads
d)throw the monies into the general fund
The Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts received three blog posts from Patch today including the comments, as did the Medford City Solicitor. The admission to what appears to be a breach of contract is important. When one stares at the enormous funds on the financial data which I received today, and the excuses (let's not even get into the absurdity that the "toxic mold" excuse was at a city council meeting with yet more of our monies spent on an "expert" left twisting in the wind) and you have a dilemma.
The Business Advisor spelled out the obligations. The contract spelled out the obligations. A thousand excuses posted on Patch or given to the city council (including the favorite of the now-dissolved corporation, "the council has no power over us, we talk to the mayor" ) remain just that. Excuses.
Tonight at the City Council meeting, armed with the public records request materials, we will continue to be effective in uncovering where in God's name the cable TV subscriber monies went and what our options are in recovering those funds and building a new tv station to help improve life in Medford.