Public, Educational, and Government (PEG) Fund Expenditure for Dubuque County Historical SocietyCity of Dubuque
City Council Meeting
Consent Items # 8.
Copyrighted
December 20, 2021
ITEM TITLE: Public, Educational, and Government (PEG) Fund Expenditure for
Dubuque County Historical Society
SUMMARY: City Manager recommending approval of the Cable TV Commission
recommendation for funding from the Public, Educational, and
Government (PEG) Capital Grant for Access Equipment and Facilities in
the amount of $16,153 for Dubuque County Historical Society for
equipment to produce high -quality videos and educational programming
at the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium campus.
SUGGESTED Suggested Disposition: Receive and File; Approve
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
PEG Fund Expenditure-MVM Memo City Manager Memo
PEG Fund Expenditure Request for DCHS - Staff Staff Memo
Memo
THE C
DUjIBQTE
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: PEG Fund Expenditure for Dubuque County Historical Society
DATE: December 13, 2021
Dubuque
WAWca 914
ii
2007-2012.2013
2017*2019
Public Information Officer Randy Gehl is recommending approval of the Cable TV
Commission recommendation for funding from the Public, Educational, and Government
(PEG) Capital Grant for Access Equipment and Facilities in the amount of $16,153 for
Dubuque County Historical Society for equipment to produce high -quality videos and
educational programming at the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium
campus.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
v
Mic ael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:jh
Attachment
CC' Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
Randy Gehl, Public Information Officer
THE C
DUUB_-'&_FE
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Randy Gehl, Public Information Officer
SUBJECT: PEG Fund Expenditure for Dubuque County Historical Society
DATE: Dec. 9, 2021
INTRODUCTION
Dubuque
All -America City
wuxnv rn
2007-2012.2013
2017*2019
The purpose of this memorandum is to forward a recommendation from the Cable TV
Commission for funding from the Capital Grant for Access Equipment and Facilities.
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." Mediacom is no longer
required to contribute to this fund so the only way it will grow is through interest.
The PEG Capital Grant for Access Equipment and Facilities fund currently has a
balance to be awarded of $ $ 1,171,172.09. (The recently approved expenditure of
$30,200 for City equipment has not yet been encumbered.)
DISCUSSION
Kurt Strand from the Dubuque County Historical Society (DCHS) submitted request for
a PEG Fund grant of $16,153 in mid -November 2021 to purchase equipment to produce
high -quality videos and educational programming from one stationary location or via a
mobile cart anywhere on the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium campus.
The application stated "These educational videos will give the public and underserved
populations access to experiences that they might not otherwise have. The museum
has a wide variety of historical, animal, and conservation experiences that can be
shared via videos or live programming with the purchase of this equipment."
The Cable TV Commission initially reviewed this request at their Nov. 17, 2021, meeting
and requested some additional details on the requested equipment estimates. DCHS
provided additional details and cost estimates from three vendors for the requested
equipment and the commission reviewed and discussed the application with DCHS
employee Nathan Smith at the commission's Dec. 8, 2021, meeting.
Following that discussion, the Cable TV Commission voted unanimously to recommend
the Dubuque County Historical Society's PEG grant request in the amount to not
exceed $16,153.
RECOMMENDED ACTION
I respectfully request that the Commission's recommendation for funding be forwarded
to the City Council to receive, file, and approve this PEG Capital Grant for Access
Equipment and Facilities Fund expenditure.
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