HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 08-23-1994-X-B i
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Action Agenda
Item No. X-$
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: August 23, 1994
SUBJECT: Cablecasting of Commissioners Meetings
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DEPARTMENT: County Manager PUBLIC HEARING YES: NO: X
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ATTACHMENT(S) : INFORMATION CONTACT: Albert Kittrell
TELEPHONE NUMBER-
Hillsborough -732-8181
Chapel Hill -968-4501
Mebane -227-2031
Durham -688-7331
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PURPOSE:
To receive a report on Cablecasting of Commissioners Meetings.
BACKGROUND:
At the June 28th Board Meeting staff was requested to review the
options for cablecasting Board of Commissioners' Regular Meetings.
The Board suggested exploring the possibilities of using the Town of
Chapel Hill Council Meeting Room for cablecasting. The Town of
Chapel Hill Meeting Room is available the third Wednesday of each
month. The cost would be $185 monthly.
The long-term option would be a meeting room in a County building
outfitted for cablecasting. The courtrooms in the New and Old
Courthouses are the only County buildings with meeting rooms large
enough for regular Commissioners' Meetings. Both courtrooms are
inappropriate for cablecasting because of poor lighting and
acoustics. The new Southern Human Services Building in Chapel
Hill and the proposed new courtroom in Hillsborough are the most
appropriate buildings for cablecasting of Commissioners' Meetings.
Although the buildings do not have "cablecasting" included in the
designed features, plans could be revised to accommodate equipment,
proper lighting and acoustics. The costs associated with this
project is contingent on the level of cablecasting desired and
participation by cable companies. The following is the cablecasting
arrangements at local governments in Durham and orange Counties:
- Chapel Hill has been cablecasting Council meetings since the
19989-90 Fiscal Year. The Town purchased video and audio
equipment at an approximate cost of $80, 000. Two contract
personnel are paid approximately $7,400 (40 meetings x $185)
annually to operate three robo cams (three stationary cameras
attached to the wall) from a control room adjacent to the
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council meeting room.
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- Carrboro- Cablevision Industries (CVI) the Cable TV Franchisee
for the Town provides all the equipment and personnel for
cablecasting Aldermen's Meetings. Cablecasting of Aldermen's
Meetings is covered in Carrboro's Cable TV Franchise Agreement
with CVI. The Town expended approximately $2, 000 for acoustics
and a speaker system in their meeting room.
- City of Durham-Cablevision of Durham provides the equipment and
personnel for cablecasting City Council Meetings. Cablevision
of Durham Personnel operate three robo cams attached to the
walls in the meeting room.
- County of Durham expended a pp roximatel y $123, 000 00 in fiscal year
1991-92 for equipment, cameras and audio to cablecast
Commissioners' Meetings. Contract personnel operate three robo
cams from a control room at a cost of $6, 000 annually.
The staff offers the following options:
-If the Board desires to cablecast meetings immediately,
conducting one meeting a month in the Chapel Council Meeting
Room is the most viable option. The meeting would be on the
third Wednesday of the month. Meetings in Hillsborough
and other locations would not be cablecasted.
-If a long term approach is considered, the plans for the new
Southern Human Services must be revised to accommodate
cablecasting requirements. The proposed courtroom in
Hillsborough should include cablecasting of meetings as a
design feature. Primarily, a meeting room would be suitable
for cablecasting with proper lighting, acoustics, wiring and
other construction considerations.
-If the Board desires cablecasting in the above mentioned County
Buildings, we should request participation by both County cable
companies, Cablevision and CVI. The level of participation
should be discussed during franchise renewal negotiations which
begins in January 1995 and will end before February 24, 1996
the expiration date of the current cable franchises.
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RECOMMENDATION(S) : The Manager recommends the Board receive this
report as information.
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