HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 11-15-2007-4hORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: November 15, 2007
Action Agenda
Item No. __`T' -~
SUBJECT• e-NC Capital Expenditure Grant for Qualified PEG Channels
DEPARTMENT: County Manager's Office PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) No
ATTACHMENT(S):
Response to Request for Proposal
INFORMATION CONTACT:
Gwen Harvey, Assistant County
Manager, 245-2307
Alan Dorman, Management Analyst,
County Manager's Office
PURPOSE: To request authorization to submit a grant application in the amount of $3,950 to
the a-NC Authority for the purchase of capital equipment needed to produce and program local
content on the Orange County government access Channel 265. .
BACKGROUND: In 2006, Session Law (S.L.) 2006-151 gave the Secretary of State exclusive
franchising authority for cable franchise agreements. County and city governments are no
longer authorized to award or renew local franchise agreements. The funding system for PEG
(public, education, and government) channels also changed. Local governments are required to
certify qualified PEG channels and are eligible to receive a portion of the $2 million set aside
under SL 2006-151 -originally estimated up to $25,000 per channel, to be disbursed quarterly -
to be used for PEG channel operating support. To date under this system, Supplemental PEG
Channel Support, Orange County has received a total of $9,375 from the NC Department of
Revenue. (Deposited June 15, 2007 for 1st Quarter, 2007).
Additionally, in July 2007, the NC General Assembly awarded $1 million (non-recurring) to the e-
NC Authority under Session Law 2007-323 to establish the PEG Channel Fund to be distributed
as Capital Expenditure Grants per G.S. 66-359. Grant funds may be used only for capital
expenditures necessary to provide PEG channel programming. Applicants must explain how the
funding being requested qualifies as a capital expenditure in the PEG application. Each grant
award may not exceed $25,000. An applicant may receive no more than one grant per fiscal
year. The applicant must also match any e-NC grant award on adollar-for-dollar basis in the
same fiscal year as the a-NC grant.
Orange County management seeks authorization for an a-NC Capital Expenditure Grant in the
amount of $3,950 to purchase camera, editing, lighting and audio equipment to enable the
production and programming of local content for airing on Orange County government access
Channel 265. (The County dollar-for-dollar match would be $3,950). The County contracts with
The People's Channel for live casting and taping of BOCC meetings to air on Channel 265.
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Capital equipment requested through the grant will allow the County to purchase additional
services (a la carte) from The Peoples Channel under an existing contract addendum.
If the County is successful in receiving the capital equipment grant from the a-NC Authority, staff
proposes to work with The People's Channel to plan, implement, and program an estimated 32
hours of original viewer content on Channel 265 during the grant period (one-year). Examples of
viewer content include special events such as the Agricultural Summit, the Economic
Development Breakfast, the Pauli Murray Awards, the Human Relations Month Kick-off
Festivities, and other public programs and work shops conducted by County officials. (Note: 32
hours of original viewer content (on-air time) is the result of 40 hours estimated in professional
and technical services (behind the scenes) acquired under The People's Channel contract
addendum.)
The People's Channel does not have capital equipment of the type proposed under this .grant
application and as a private non-profit is ineligible to apply. Equipment purchased under the
grant award would be owned, maintained, and insured by the County. Provided the capital
equipment, Orange County would have the ability and flexibility through its long standing
partnership with The People's Channel to originate, produce and program local content on
Channel 265 as proposed.
Grant applications are due on November 28, 2007.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The required match for the e-NC Authority Capital Expenditure Grant
($3,950) and operating funds for the purchase of the projected services from The People's
Channel ($8,500 estimate) are currently available in the non-departmental account for cable
casting.
RECOMMENDATION(S): The County Manager recommends that the BOCC approve the a-NC
Capital Expenditure Grant Application and authorize the County Manager to certify and sign the
grant documents.
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Section 11.0
GRANT APPLICATION FORM
General Information
Legal Name of Applicant Organization: orange County
Name and Title of Authorized Signer for Applicant Organization: Laura Blackmon, County Manager
Mailing Address: P.O. Bow 8181
City: Hillsborough State: NC County Orange Zip: 27278
Street Address: • 200 • S. Cameron Street
City: Hillsborough State: NC County Orange - Zip: 27278
Phone: 919-245-2300 Fax: 919-644-3004
e-Mail: lblackmon@co.orange.nc.us
Federal Tax ID Number: 56-6000327
Total Amount of Funding Being Requested under this Application: $ 3 , 949.45
*Name of PEG Channel for which Funding is Being Sought: 1
Total Amount of Funding Being Requested for this Channel: $ 3 , 949.45
Type of Programming Offered by this Channel (P,E and/or G): G
Street Address: 2501 Homestead Road
City: Chapel Hill State:NC County. Orange Zip: 27514
Phone: - Fax: -
If this is a °Gshared" channel, please list the other local governments which share operations
or programming with this channel: Not shared
Name and Title of Manager or Project Contact at PEG Channel: Gwen Harvey
Street Address: 200 South Cameron Street
City:
Hillsborough State: NC
County Orange
Zip: 27278
Phone: 919-245-230? Fax: 919-644-3004 e-Mail: gharvey@co.orange.nc.us
~If regrcesting funding for rnzrltiple chmznels, please attach additim:al pages to this
Application Foruz and list complete inforruatiorz for all charnels for which fundizzg is being
sought under tl:is Application.
10-12-07
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Orange County Channel 265 e-NC Capital Grant Application
Section 12.0
Program Narrative
Applicants should submit a narrative which directly answers the following questions:
Background/Organization Information for the a-NC Authority
1. Briefly describe the total number of channels provided to the Applicant via their
cable franchise agreement, and the type(s) of programming associated with each
channel.
Answer:
Currently Orange County has three PEG channels certified through our franchise
agreement: channels 8, 18, and 265. Channel 8 is operated and programmed as a
public access channel by the nonprofit organization, The People's Channel. Channel
18 is programmed as a government access channel and jointly operated by the towns
of Chapel Hill and Carrboro. Channe1265 is solely operated and programmed by
Orange County as a government access channel.
2. Briefly explain the relationship between the PEG channel(s) for which funding is
being sought and the Applicant. Clarify whether the channel(s) is directly
operated by the Applicant.
Answer:
Channe1265 was granted to Orange County as part of the re-negotiation of Orange
County's franchise agreement with Time Warner Cable in 2005. It is solely operated
and programmed by Orange County. The channel had its official debut on March
27`n, 2007, when it broadcast its first live Board of County Commissioners meeting.
Since that time additional equipment has been added to allow for the re-broadcast of
BOCC meetings twice a day along with bulletin boards advertising current job
openings, volunteer opportunities to serve on boards and commissions, and a pet of
the week feature.
3. ff the PEG channel(s) for which funding is being ought is "shared" by multiple
local governments, please briefly explain the relationship between these
government and the channel(s)
Answer:
Channel 265 is the government access channel solely operated and programmed by
Orange County.
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Orange County Channel 265 e-NC Capital Grant Application
Explanation of Capital Expenditures
4. Explain how the requested funding will be used (for what types of equipment or
other capital expenditures). Explain why this cost qualifies as a capital
expenditure necessary to providing PEG channel programming.
(Note: Applicants must successfully explain Izow the funding being requested
qualifies as a capital expenditure, or the application will not qualify for
consideration of funding)
Answer:
Orange County recently upgraded the equipment at the county facility in Chapel Hill
where channe1265 is broadcast from. This new equipment allows up to 5 DVDs to
be scheduled for broadcast at anytime. With this added capability Orange County
now has the opportunity to broadcast additional programming on channe1265 beyond
the BOCC meetings and bulletin boards. This grant funding would allow us to
purchase audio. visual equipment necessary to film government and community
events outside of our Chapel Hill location which can then be edited and broadcast on
channe1265. This equipment represents aone-time investment that could be used to
make thousands of hours of video over many years.
With this equipment staff proposes to contract with The People's Channel to plan,
implement, and program 32 hours of original viewer content on Channe1265 per
year. Examples of viewer content include special events such as The Agricultural
Summit, The Economic Development Breakfast, The Pauli Murray Awards, The
Human Relations Month Kick-off Festivities, and other public programs and work
shops conducted by County officials.
The People's Channel, under their agreement with Chapel Hill, can not allow Orange
County free use of their existing equipment to film for broadcast on channe1265.
Therefore Orange County must either supply the equipment to be used or rent the
equipment from The People's Channel, which would be cost prohibitive. Equipment
purchased under the grant award would be owned, maintained, and insured by the
County. Provided the capital equipment, Orange County would have the ability and
flexibility through its long standing partnership with The People's Channel to
originate, produce and program local content on Channe1265 as proposed.
Statement of Need
5. Explain why this expenditures is critical to providing programming for this PEG
channel and why this need cannot, or has not, been met through other sources.
(Note: this answer is tied directly to the scoring process for the grant award
decisions.)
Answer:
~P
Orange County Channe1265 e-NC Capital Grant Application
Orange County has already invested money in the upgrade of our current system to allow
for additional programming beyond the re-broadcast of the BOCC meetings and bulletin
boards. While the County currently contracts with the People's Channel to have BOCC
meetings recorded, the County has many other meetings and events which we would like
to show to our citizens. This equipment would allow the County to provide additional
programming on our channel since renting equipment to do so would put additional
programming out of our reach.
Capital Expenditure Budl;et
Provide a detailed line item budget, up to $50,000, showing both the capital expenditures
items for which funding is being requested, as well as the proposed use of the matching
funds. The budget must indicate which line items would be covered by e-NC grant
funding and which would be covered the required matching funds.
Brief Budget Narrative
Provide a brief budget narrative explaining the budget format and the costs reflected.
Answer:
The budget below reflects the cost to purchase apro-quality video camera, lighting
equipment, microphones, and software and hardware for the editing of video, all of which
is necessary to record video at remote locations and then edit that video for broadcast.
The figures below show the cost for each piece of equipment split between the grant
funds and Orange County funds and the total for each item. The final item represents the
contract cost estimate that Orange County will fund entirely to produce the 32 hours of
programming, as this cost is not a capital expenditure.
E-NC Orange
Authority County
Equipment: Descriution Grant Funds Funds Total
Son HDR-FX7 A Pro uali HD video camera $1,249.50 $1,249.50 $2,499.00
Lowel DV Creator 44
Tungsten 4 Li ht Portable lightin a ui ment $543.98 $543.98 $1,087.95
Portable camera Mountable UHF
wireless lavaliere microphone
Son UWP-C1 s stem $232:00 $232.00 $464.00
Adobe Photoshop CS3
Image Editing Software for Software for the editing of digital
Windows photos $324.48 . $324.48 $648.95
Adobe Premiere Pro CS3
Video Editing Software for Software for the production of
Windows digital video $375.00 $375.00 $749.99
A Windows Workstation- IntelO
ThinkCentre M57 Tower CoreTM 2 Duo rocessor E6850 $1,224.50 $1,224.50 $2,449.00
Cost to produce 32 hours of video
by the contractor -The People's
Video Production Channel $8,500.00 $8,500.00
TOTAL: $3,949.45 $12,449.45 $16,398.89
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Section 14.0
CERTII'ICATION PAGE
Certification by the Applicant:
On behalf of the Applicant organization, I certify that the channel(s) for which feuding is being
sought under this application, has sufficient operating funds for the current fiscal year.
In addition, I certify that the Applicant organization does have the matching funds described in
this proposal, immediately available for use, should this application be funded.
Signature of Authorized Representative:
Typed Name and Title
Date
Certification by the Applicant:
The attached statements and exhibits are hereby made part of this application and.the
undersigned representative of the applicant certifies that the information in this application and
the attached statements and exhibits is true, correct and complete to the best of his/her
knowledge and belief. He/She further certifies that:
As authorized representative, he/she has been authorized to file this application on behalf of the
governing body;
The governing body agrees that if a grant from the e NC Authority's 2007 e NC Capital
Expenditure Grants.for qualified PEG Channels is awarded, the applicant will provide proper and
timely submittals of all documentation requested by the Grantor Agency (the Rural Center on
behalf of the e-NC Authority);
The applicant has substantially complied with or will comply with all federal, state and local
laws, rules and regulations and ordinances as applicable to the project.
Signature of Authorized Representative:
Typed Name and Title
Date
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