City Council Meeting Date: July 23, 2019
To: Mayor and City Council
City Administrator
From: Kurt Wolf, IT Manager
Title
Consider Budget Amendment to Authorize Acquisition of Cable Access Equipment from the Communications Fund.
Body
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council consider approving the attached Resolution authorizing a Communications Fund budget amendment to authorize the purchase of equipment related to the operation of the two cable television channels provided by Charter/Spectrum.
Summary Report:
The City of Northfield proposes to purchase a Tightrope Cablecast and a Tightrope Carousel system to broadcast public access cable channels and update digital signage displays throughout the City.
Paul Hager has been running the Northfield public access cable channels for 34 years via Northfield Cable Television System (NTV). The equipment used to operate those channels is fifteen years old. Public, Educational, and Government (PEG) fees were increased by $.25 in January 2019, and are proposed to increase again in January 2020 to a maximum of $1.25 per subscriber, per month, to cover hardware purchases like this one. The City of Northfield Communications Department planned on updating the equipment in the next couple of years, and had been in discussions with Paul about recommendations for purchase. The equipment was planned to be housed at City Hall, with Paul continuing to administer. Since those discussions, Paul has submitted his resignation, and plans to turn over the operation of the cable channels to the City. This has accelerated the need to purchase broadcasting equipment, since the existing system is owned by Paul. In addition, the new equipment provides up-to-date playback ability in multiple formats, includes newer features, and gives staff the ability to update displays throughout the City.
The equipment recommended for purchase is as follows:
Cablecast
Enables the ability to broadcast TV channels, and allows ability to...
Click here for full text