Cable Access Equipment Purchase PEG Access
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MEMORANDUM
January 23, 2006
TO:
The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM:
Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: PEG Access Capital Grant Expenditure
The Cable Community Teleprogramming Commission is recommending City Council
approval for funding in the amount of $36,800 for the Capital Grant for Access
Equipment and Facilities.
The City of Dubuque Cable Television Division submitted a request for the Commission
of $50,062 to purchase the equipment necessary to convert the City's recording and
editing equipment from a linear or tape-based system, to a non-linear, or digital, video
system and to implement a new message information system. The Cable Television
Division's current equipment is severely outdated and much of it cannot be repaired
because the technology is obsolete. The new equipment will allow staff to pursue the
identified goal of increased programming, in both quality and quantity, on City Channel
8.
A grant of $36,800 will allow for the purchase of most of the equipment needed to
convert the City's recording and editing equipment to digital. That amount will cover the
purchase of two camcorders, a digital recorder, file server, editing software and
equipment, and related cabling and other necessary components. It will not allow for
the purchase of a new message information system which would create a much more
dynamic channel, generate an interactive version of the channel for the internet, and
allow authorized users to create and update content remotely over the internet (for
emergency announcements, for example).
Based on the Commission's willingness to fund the remainder of this important request
later this fiscal year, I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor
and City Council approval.
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Michael C. Van Milligen
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Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, Corporation Counsel
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Randy Gehl, Public Information Officer
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MEMORANDUM
FROM:
Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
Randy Gehl, Public Information Officer I/J-
January 23, 2006
TO:
DATE:
SUBJECT: PEG Access Capital Grant Expenditure
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this memorandum is to forward a recommendation from the Cable
Community Teleprogramming Commission to approve a request from the City's Cable
Television Division for funding from the Capital Grant for Access Equipment and Facilities.
BACKGROUND
As part of the new cable television franchise agreement with Mediacom, a Capital Grant
for Access Equipment and Facilities was established in June with a beginning balance of
$176,400. The franchise states:
"The Grantee shall deposit one and three-quarter percent (1.75%) of its Gross Revenues
annually, paid at the same time and in the same manner as the franchise fee, in an
interest-bearing account upon which the City may draw for capital support for PEG and 1-
Net use, in its sole discretion (except that the City shall not use more than half of the PEG
Capital Support Fund for I-Net support, as distinct from support for PEG Access video
programming), at any time while the Franchise remains in effect (the "PEG Capital Support
Fund")."
The City Council approved the Commission's first recommendation for funding at the
September 19, 2005, Council meeting. That request included grants for Mediacom
($71,468.38), City of Dubuque ($23,033.75), Dubuque Community School District
($14,832.18), and Eleanor Roosevelt Middle School ($16,000). A quarterly adjustment of
$3,654.36 was added to the account in October. The current balance of non-appropriated
funds is $55,646.75.
On behalf of the Cable Television Division, Video Producation Assistant Doug McCallum
and I submitted a request for $50,062 from the Capital Grant for Access Equipment and
Facilities to the Cable Community Teleprogramming Commission at their January 10,
2006, meeting.
As the attached request summary details, the requested funds would be used to purchase
the equipment necessary to convert our recording and editing equipment from a linear or
tape-based system, to a non-linear, or digital, video system and to implement a new
message information system. The Cable Television Division's current equipment is
severely outdated and much of it cannot be repaired because the technology is obsolete.
The new equipment will allow staff to pursue the identified goal of increased programming,
in both quality and quantity, on City Channel 8.
After discussing the request, the commission voted unanimously to recommend that the
Cable Television Division's grant be limited to $36,800 at this time. They encouraged us to
submit another request for the remaining amount later this spring, closer to the end of the
fiscal year. Their concern centered on the current balance of remaining funds to be
awarded ($55,646.75). An attached document details the account.
A grant of $36,800 will allow for the purchase of most of the equipment needed to convert
our recording and editing equipment to digital. That amount will cover the purchase of two
camcorders, a digital recorder, file server, editing software and equipment, and related
cabling and other necessary components. It will NOT allow for the purchase of a new
message information system which would create a much more dynamic channel, generate
an interactive version of the channel for the internet, and allow authorized users create and
update content remotely over the internet (for emergency announcements, for example).
According to City Code Sec. 44-217, the Community Teleprogramming Commission shall
"advise the cable franchise administrator and the local cable manager on purchase,
location, use, repair, and replacement of equipment and facilities for community
programming." It is my understanding that this commission has historically advised the
City Council on expenditures of franchise-related funds for Public, Education, and
Governement (PEG) equipment. The previous franchise was quite different in that "lump
sum" was available for the life of the franchise. The new franchise features an annually
renewed fund with quarterly adjustments.
RECOMMENDED ACTION
I respectfully request that commission's recommendation of the $36,800 grant be
forwarded to the City Council to receive, file, and approve. I am optimistic that the
commission will reconsider another request for the message information system later this
spring.
RG
CC: Cable Community Teleprogramming Commission
Video Production Assistant Doug McCallum
Attachments:
City Channel 8 Grant Request
Capital Grant for Access Equipment and Facilities Update
Capital Grant for Access Equipment and Facilities Update
January 10,2006
Account Balance as of 1/10/06
Credits
Cable Franchise Fee
I st Quarter Franchise Fee Adjustment
Interest Earnings
Total
Debits
Organization
Mediacom - Public Access Studio Equipment
City of Dubuque - Council Chamber Cameras
Dubuque Comm. School District - New Channel
Eleanor Roosevelt Middle School -- Equipment
Total
Balance to be Awarded for FY 2006
$83,044.29
$176,400.00
$3,654.36
$926.70
$180,981.06
Amount Awarded
$71,468.38
$23,033.75
$14,832.18
$16,000
$125,334.31
$55,646.75
Disbursed to Date
$68,164.74
$23,033.75
$6,738.28
$97,936.77
City Channel 8 Capital Grant Request
1/10/2006
Three-chip DVCAM camcorders
Replaces studio cameras and field production camera (current s-vhs camcorder)
Total
$6954
$3390
$1637
$1351
$13332
2 Sony Camcorders
Duel Prime Image TBC
1 Mini DV recorder player
Related equipment, cabling, etc.
$3477each
$1695
$1637
DVD players and Leightronix interfaces
Replaces current s-vhs decks in playback system
Total
$276
$444
$200
$920
4 DVD players
4 Leightronix controllers
Related equipment, cabling etc.
$69
$111
Non-linear Editing System
Replaces current s-vhs linear (tape to tape) editing system
Matrox hardware and software
24" Flat panel monitor
Training video
Computer hardware/software
Speakers, extra harddrives
Cabling, etc.
$1448
$1199
$ 699
Total
$3900
$7250
File Server
Replaces current playback system and provides for future webstreaming
Tightrope Media file servers
Web Centric head end system
Routing switcher
Installation, cabling, training
Total
$8471
$4824
$ 489
$1170
$14954
Message Info System
Replaces current FrameRate message system
Capital Networks AUDIENCE software suite
24" Monitor
Optibase Video Card (Videoplex)
Associated computer hardware, cabling
Emergency DVD, on site set up, training etc
Total
$7387
$1199
$1195
$3825
$13606