Thanks for a great meeting!

I was sorry to have to leave the meeting early, but I was careful to stay for jet-set luncheon that Tim put on in an attempt to terrify the next host. But I am confident it will only be taken as a challenge, and I expect a record attendance at the next meeting -- at least through the lunch hour.

I regret having to miss the reports of the break-out groups, as mine was particularly informative for me. It became clear to us in our discussion that VAN members should avoid using the term "cable operator contribution" for what John has convinced me is a franchise fee. (Whatever it is, it is not a contribution by the operator.) I think proper use of "franchise fee", if agreed to by VAN members, would be an important step in the coming battle to secure funding for media centers rather than the concept of "PEG payments" which is tied so closely to the cable industry in the public’s mind.

It also was clear from the comments made in our group that access centers which ignore business support do so at their peril, and there are established ways to do this so that even those supporters who believe strongly no hint of commercialism must stain the delicate appearance of access programming can be satisfied, particular when the alternative increasingly seems to be a failure of mission. I can only hope the other groups enjoyed such a productive discussion as ours was.

My final regret -- and the reason for this response -- is that I did not have a chance to congratulate publicly the existing and retiring VAN Board Members on what I think will remain as their finest achievement -- shepherding VMX into existence and then having the wisdom to allow its committee, Emily, and the others  to get it to work as well as it does, even for a non-Spock like myself. I know personally how much time Scott and Matt and Emily and Patrick have put into this project, and I believe the others have labored in their areas as well.

All involved in the long and complicated process of bringing VMX into being as an operating asset deserve the thanks of all of us who watched it happen. I think its real value lies ahead, particularly in the public relations areas as our role becomes even more web-based. While the creation of VAN itself from such a diverse and independent-minded group is an important achievement, VAN will seem to many to be simply a responsible trade organization, serving the interests of its members. The successful launch of VMX as VAN’s principal state-wide benefit to the public is a concept whose value everyone can grasp and moves its advocates and supporters well beyond the current boundaries of the cable systems.

In my judgment, VMX is the principal rock on which VAN should build its quest for achievable – and sustainable -- sources of funding from private and public sources, as the concept of a public media center network moves from the grip of a Comcast contract to the greater challenge of serving an entire state joined by the web. It is a task that can and should be done, and I believe an increasingly-useful VMX is the tool which will make it happen. So my congratulations to all involved.

My thanks to Rob, Lauren-Glenn, Tim and the school students, and the others for such an informative and enjoyable meeting.

Ted