Meet Channel 17 Trustees' Newest Member, Elaine Sopchak
The Channel 17 Board of Trustees oversees operations for this government access channel. It is made up of members from the 7 communities served in the Comcast North and Burlington Telecom regions. Trustees are appointed by their home community. Elaine Sopchak is the most recent appointment from Essex Junction.
Who is Elaine Sopchak? Tell us about yourself.
I am a Village resident of 12 years, mom to 3 kids, and a community volunteer. I'm a founder of the Five Corners Farmers Market, a former Village Planning Commissioner, and was a Brownell Library Trustee for several years. My day job is as an assistant to the Chancellor of the Vermont State Colleges. I also am a member of the Green Mountain Derby Dames, a women's roller derby league.
What is important to you about open government and access to process?
One of my biggest concerns is voter turnout. Why don't more people come to Annual Meeting? Why don't they attend Village Trustee meetings? Why don't more of our residents vote? I think a large part of the answer is understanding the governmental process better, and you can't get that if there are too few ways to access your government. Having Trustee meetings broadcast online and on Channel 17 is one very effective way of sharing the governmental process with people.
What to you hope to learn through your stint as a Channel 17 trustee and what do you hope to bring to the table?
I am very curious about how community access television works and I want to support it. I also want to see what its current limitations are, and discover ways to expand access for viewers. I have some ideas about how to do that, and am looking forward to sharing them.
What do you love about Essex Junction?
So many things. Its people, its history, the school system is great, our rec department can't be beat, it's close to Burlington and the lake. My husband and I specifically moved here to enjoy the best life we could with our family, and we think we made an excellent choice.
How do you think Essex Junction residents could best use their government access TV channel?
Tune in and stay informed! Our board meetings are recorded and are available online--residents should use them as a resource to answer their questions and come up with more. CCTV is like C-SPAN for Essex Junction: it's government at work, caught on camera. While it's not glamorous, it's essential. I'd like to see more residents tune in and use this great resource.
What are you looking forward to doing this summer?
Getting into the garden, and spending time on the (roller) derby track.