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SCHENECTADY
SACC-TV flips on Proctors deal
New board decides to keep $100,000, stay in business
BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter

    The last remaining fragment of SACCTV, which until recently operated the local public access cable channel, has withdrawn the $100,000 it had promised to Proctors, the new operator of public access.
    SACC-TV officials had agreed to provide money to Proctors to upgrade equipment for the channels, but they suddenly reversed course.
    After electing new board members, the board decided at an acrimonious meeting Thursday night to keep its money and remain in existence — despite having no building and no broadcasting equipment.
    It’s not clear how the board would use the money.
    Former SACC board President Gary McCarthy was highly critical, noting that many of the new board members live outside the city — some outside the county — and that they voted to violate the signed contract the board had with Proctors.
    “They were just grabbing for the cash,” he said.
    Board member Cathy Lewis, who was demoted from her position as treasurer Thursday, said the new board members were uncomfortable with Proctors’ efforts to improve the quality of the public access shows.
    Proctors offered to train residents to produce their fi lms and urged everyone to edit and craft their productions. Those who want to fi lm in the Proctors filming area must either pay a trained camera operator to run the equipment, or learn to do it themselves.
    But, like any public access station, Proctors must still broadcast tapes submitted by residents, as long as they are not obscene.
    That did not satisfy the new SACC board.
    “This group didn’t feel it was going to be true public access,” Lewis said. “Take [former Mayor] Frank Duci. Now that he’s back from Florida he wanted to go back to doing his Frankly Speaking show. He probably just sat in a chair with his guest and someone taped him. But that’s not what Proctors wanted.”
    She said the new SACC board was under the impression that Proctors would demand all residents make “a big production” to get their views aired.
    That’s not the case, according to Proctors CEO Philip Morris. When Morris presented his plans to the City Council, he emphasized that he will still accept amateur work.
    “The rules of public access are unchanged,” Morris said.
    SACC board members are not convinced. They want to help residents produce programs, Lewis said.
    “And to do that they want to hold on to the money,” she said.
    She said SACC would have had roughly $30,000 remaining in its accounts if it gave Proctors the money it promised.
    It had agreed to give Proctors $130,000, including $19,000 to upgrade broadcasting equipment at the City Council Chambers.
    The money also included $20,000 for a part-time producer for Schenectady Today, a popular SACC-TV show that runs fi ve days a week.
    The funds also would have created the Digital Soap Box, a filming space at Proctors, and other items.
    Proctors had already spent $28,000 for some broadcasting equipment, fronting the money on the belief that the board would repay it. On Thursday, the board decided to give Proctors that amount — but no more.
    The board created a “negotiating” committee to discuss the rest of the money.
    Morris came to the meeting to ask for the agreed-upon funds, but he refused to negotiate, and said later that he will not sue to recover the money.
    Instead, he said, Proctors will cut back on some amenities and supplement with other funds when necessary. .............................>>>>...............>>>>.................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r00102&AppName=1

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Instead, he said, Proctors will cut back on some amenities and supplement with other funds when necessary.

IE. taxpayer dollars?

Bravo to this board for seeing this as what it is, a money grab by Phillip Morris to pay his bills. He spent too much money on the theater and now he can't balance the budget and is losing a ton of money. Anyone can bring thousands of people in when they have a ton of taxpayer money to spend. Stay tuned for his next big announcement, a School run by him taking tax dollars from the state. But don't worry he still gets his big paycheck.

Good for you SACC board members!!!!!

Does the Gazetto editorial bored still think this is a great idea? ROTFLMAO!! Now we have two groups wasting taxpayer and cable TV funds.

     The Source has it right-another huge money pot for socialist Phillip Morris, who thinks Obama is "doing a great job". Start running the theatre on a pay as you go basis. Get off the taxpayers back. Stop buying banks {for DEM banquet halls} running high schools and TV stations.

The local democrap party has its tentacles into every group from SCCC, to SACC, to the Chamber of Commerce, to grandma's coffee klatch. This is what happens when you mix politics with true volunteerism. Everything becomes convoluted and political to the thousandth power. Of COURSE this was going to be a cluster foxtrot. Of COURSE it will all fall apart and become just wht it was intended - democrap broadcast central. So WTF do you folks expect when you make it a one party county through and through?

Instead of running 3 channels poorly-maybe run one correctly? "Cluster foxtrot"-lol-

Is a cluster foxtrot like Zumba?

It is a cleaned up version of the cluster f_ _ _

Proctors offered to train residents to produce their films and urged everyone to edit and craft their productions.  

Read the article...Proctors (Open Stage Media) will train people who are interested in learning.   By adding this organization to Proctors, there will be numerous volunteer opportunities for those who are interested in this field.  Did SACC ever offer this option?  Before you make any negative comments about the facility, stop down to Proctors and ask for a tour of the new place and see what they have to offer.  I've been there...I can attest to the good works of OSM.  When they get the three channels up and running, it will make the old SACC channel look like amateur night.   SACC pulled the funding they promised...politics as usual!

OSM has a slick website that is still under development.  If you click on "Watch Live" you can catch the Rotterdam TB meeting right now!   I don't recall this option when SACC managed the channel.  
http://www.openstagemedia.com/

GB--OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!  Guess I was wayyyyyyy off base.  This is a totally different kind of dance.

It is a Sue Savage special. Kick out the long time volunteers and place all minions and puppets in there and reek havoc on the organization. She did it at SCCC and the Library friends too. Very sad.

But we are building tax base LOL! Take a look at your tax bill! Its going up almost as fast as Philip Morris's salary.

Combining SACC with proctors would be a MAJOR mistake. I don't care how 'hi-tech' proctors is or can be. It can only be done at the expense of US THE TAXPAYERS! Proctors can not keep itself afloat if it weren't for US!!

Proctors is morris' sandbox and savage and crew continue to make sure he has enough sand at our expense. Live and govern within your means. Work with the money you already have. Cut spending!!!

SACC should stay as they are. Hell, I will start to donate to SACC if they truly do stay independent of proctors.

Me too. Morris should release Proctor's financial report. He just has no business sense. Even with all the donations and taxpayer money he receives he can't pay his bills.