Public, Educational, and Government (PEG) Capital Grant Expenditure Request Copyrighted
September 18, 2023
City of Dubuque Consent Items # 014.
City Council Meeting
ITEM TITLE: Public, Educational, and Government (PEG) Capital Grant Expenditure
Request
SUM MARY: City Manager recommending City Council approval of the Cable TV
Commission recommendations for funding from the Public, Educational,
and Government (PEG) Capital Grant forAccess Equipment and
Facilities for a total not to exceed $115,000. Three requests were
received and awarded as follows: from the Dubuque Community School
District up to $35,000 for new equipment, from Loras College for new
equipment in the amount of$25,000, and not more than $55,000 for the
City of Dubuque for new editing stations and new equipment.
SUGGESTED Suggested Disposition: Receive and File;Approve
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
MVM Memo City Manager Memo
Staff Memo- Recommended PEG Fund E�enditures- Staff Memo
Sept 2023
Dubuque
THE CITY QF �
All-Meriea Ciry
DLT B E ; . � . �
�� � �
MaSt� Z�C� aYd t�Q Mt55ZSSZ Z zoa�•zoiz•�ai3
YP pp za��*zai�
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: PEG Fund Expenditures for City of Dubuque, Dubuque Community School
District, and Loras College
DATE: September 12, 2023
Public Information Officer Randy Gehl is recommending City Council approval of the
Cable TV Commission recommendations for funding from the Public, Educational, and
Government (PEG) Capital Grant for Access Equipment and Facilities for a total not to
exceed $115,000. Three requests were received and awarded as follows: from the
Dubuque Community School District up to $35,000 for new equipment, from Loras
College for new equipment in the amount of$25,000, and not more than $55,000 for the
City of Dubuque for new editing stations and new equipment.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
�
Mic ael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:sv
Attachment
cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
Randy Gehl, Public Information Officer
Dubuque
THE CTTY O� �
D R All-America City
U i/ L wcix?�LL��m�ii-K:i.
� � � ►
� �
Maste iece on the Mississi i z°°'.z°lz.z°13
�P pp �oi�*Zo�9
TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Randy Gehl, Public Information Officer
SUBJECT: PEG Fund Expenditures for City of Dubuque, Dubuque
Community School District, and Loras College
DATE: Sept. 12, 2023
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this memorandum is to forward a recommendation from the Cable TV
Commission to approve three requests for funding from the Capital Grant for Access
Equipment and Facilities (PEG Fund).
BACKGROUND
The City's previous cable television franchise agreement with Mediacom included an annual
grant program to purchase equipment with which to produce local public, educational, and
governmental (PEG) programming. Qualified organizations —those with a principal place of
business within City limits or a principal regular meeting place within City limits — may apply
for funding from this program. Because Mediacom now operates in Dubuque under a
state franchise, the state code related to cable franchises applies to the use of Dubuque
PEG Capital Grant for Access Equipment and Facilities funds. The code states, "All
fees collected pursuant to this subsection shall be used only for the support of the
public, educational, and governmental access channels." Currently, the City of
Dubuque operates the local government access channel (CityChannel Dubuque), the
Dubuque Community School District operates the public education access channel, and
Loras College operates the shared education access channel.
The PEG Capital Grant for Access Equipment and Facilities fund currently has a
balance of$1,549,233.16. Mediacom is no longer required to contribute to this fund so
the only way it will grow is through interest.
DISCUSSION
The Cable TV Commission met on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023, to consider the three
funding requests it received. Each application included a general description of the
requested equipment and why it was needed, an explanation of how the community will
benefit from the request, and a detailed list of all equipment requested and cost
estimates from three vendors.
Michael Lawrence, a media producer representing the Dubuque Community School
District, submitted the district's application for nearly $34,000 worth of equipment,
including two cameras and related accessories, field lighting kits, audio capturing
devices, editing equipment, visual backdrops, and teleprompting equipment. As
required, the district's application included cost estimates from three vendors. Following
a discussion of the request with Lawrence and school district staff in attendance at the
meeting, the Cable TV Commission voted unanimously to award the school district up to
$35,000 for the requested new equipment and any associated shipping costs.
Craig Schaefer, professor of communication arts at Loras College, submitted an
application for funding on behalf of Loras College for $25,000 worth of equipment,
including: three cameras and related accessories, a backdrop, and teleprompting
equipment. Following a discussion with Schaefer and discussion of the request, the
Cable TV Commission voted unanimously to award Loras College $25,000 for the
requested new equipment, which includes associated shipping costs.
Felicia Carner, multimedia specialist with the City of Dubuque, submitted an application
for funding on behalf of the City of Dubuque for $54,174.01. Carner's application
included funds for stationary and remote editing stations (including two desktop
computers and two laptop computers) and equipment including two cameras and
related accessories, two action cameras and accessories, portable teleprompting
equipment, backdrops, audio recording equipment, and lighting equipment. Following a
presentation from Carner and discussion on the request, the Cable TV Commission
voted unanimously to award the City of Dubuque not more than $55,000 for the
requested new equipment, which includes associated shipping costs.
If the Cable TV Commission's recommendations for funding are approved by City
Council, City staff will coordinate the purchase of all related equipment and distribute to
the requesting organization.
RECOMMENDED ACTION
I respectfully request that the Cable TV Commission's recommendations for a total not
to exceed $115,000 in funding be forwarded to the City Council to receive, file, and
approve these PEG Capital Grant for Access Equipment and Facilities Fund
expenditures.
2