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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 04/18/2000 - FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 38, 2000, APPROPRIA AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY ITEM NUMBER: 15 DATE: April 18, 2000 FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL STAFF: Darin Atteberry SUBJECT: First Reading of Ordinance No. 38, 2000, Appropriating Unanticipated Revenue and Prior Year Reserves in the General Fund to Remodel Existing Space and Purchase Equipment for a Cable TV Studio. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on First Reading. FINANCIAL IMPACT: The AT&T cable franchise fees collected in 1999 were$82,000 above projections. 2000 franchise fees are projected to be $100,000 over projections. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Channel 27 provides the community with local government access programming for both City and County governments. If approved, these funds will be added to existing appropriations to help complete the project. Completion of the studio facility will result in expanded capacity, more appropriate sets,multiple media formats,and dedicated space which will aid in the City's efforts to inform citizens, employees and Channel 27 viewers about issues of concern and interest. Currently,the City must use either the Council Information Center(CIC) or the Council Chambers to cablecast meetings, forums and events. These rooms also must be used to videotape events, interviews, and other programming for tape delayed cablecasts. These rooms are poorly suited for these uses due to inadequate lighting,lack of controlled settings or background choices,and lengthy set-up and tear-down processes. There are many factors driving the need for expanded and dedicated space with which to provide communication services for the community and for internal City needs. ✓ The CIC and Council Chambers were built prior to the introduction of cable TV to the community,and because their primary function is that of meeting rooms,they are more suited for cablecasting City Council meetings,and do not lend themselves well to other types of productions. DATE: April 18, 2000 2 ITEM NUMBER: 15 ✓ The City conducted a survey in 1999 that collected feedback from citizens regarding their communication needs. Many of the comments referred to the need for more programming for seniors,children,extended local news and coverage of environmental, growth and other local issues. To do an adequate job of increasing programming to address these needs, a more usable space is needed. ✓ The convergence of video and computer technology provides the City with the opportunity to become more efficient and effective in presenting information to the community as well as to employees within the City. City Council meetings, Public Safety Training and Human Resources information can all be made available in video format, as well as being converted and available in digital format that can be accessed using Web technology. Without appropriate equipment, the City will fall behind in meeting the needs of the organization and community. Space to house the necessary equipment,as well as a room with adequate lighting,set availability and proximity to the existing cable control room is needed. ✓ Larimer County and Poudre Valley Hospital are very interested in working with the City to produce shows to benefit their constituents—citizens of Fort Collins. The CIC and Council Chambers do not provide the type of environment necessary to create high quality programming. ✓ Citizens are increasingly turning to visual media for their information,and there is a lot of competition on television for the viewer's attention. Without adequate production facilities, there is little opportunity for local programming to compete with the more polished presentations on commercial television. ✓ The studio can be housed within an existing City facility. Solar panels were recently removed from the roof of City hall. The removal of the solar storage tanks will complete that project and free up valuable space in the basement of City Hall. • ORDINANCE NO. 38, 2000 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS APPROPRIATING UNANTICIPATED REVENUE AND PRIOR YEAR RESERVES IN THE GENERAL FUND TO REMODEL EXISTING SPACE AND PURCHASE EQUIPMENT FOR A CABLE TV STUDIO WHEREAS, there is a need for expanded and dedicated space to provide communication services for the community and for internal city needs; and WHEREAS,in a 1999 survey,conducted by the City,many of the comments referred to the need for more programming for seniors and children, extended local news, and coverage of local issues; and WHEREAS, Larimer County and Poudre Valley Hospital have expressed an interest in working with the City to produce shows to benefit their constituents--the citizens of Fort Collins; and WHEREAS, completion of the cable studio will result in expanded capacity, more appropriate sets, multiple media formats, and dedicated space which will aid the City's efforts to inform citizens, employees and Channel 27 viewers about issues of concern and interest; and WHEREAS, the AT&T Cable Franchise Fees collected in 1999 were $82,000 over the projected amount and the franchise fees for 2000 are currently projected to be $100,000 over the original projection; and WHEREAS, these funds in the amount of$182,000 are available to be used to remodel existing space and purchase equipment for the Cable TV studio; and WHEREAS,Article V, Section 9,of the Charter of the City of Fort Collins permits the City Council to appropriate by ordinance at any time during the fiscal year such funds for expenditure as may be available from reserves accumulated in prior years,notwithstanding that such reserves were not previously appropriated; and WHEREAS,Article V, Section 9,of the Charter of the City of Fort Collins also permits the City Council to make supplemental appropriations by ordinance at any time during the fiscal year, provided that the total amount of such supplemental appropriations,in combination with all previous appropriations for that fiscal year,do not exceed the then current estimate of actual and anticipated revenues to be received during the fiscal year. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS as follows: Section 1. That there is hereby appropriated for-expenditure from prior year reserves in the General Fund the sum of EIGHTY TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS($82,000)for expenditure in the General Fund to remodel existing space and purchase equipment for a Cable TV studio. Section 2. That there is hereby appropriated from unanticipated revenue in the General Fund the sum of ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ($100,000)for expenditure in the General Fund to remodel existing space and purchase equipment for a Cable TV studio. Introduced and considered favorably on first reading and ordered published this 18th day of April, A.D. 2000, and to be presented for final passage on the 2nd day of May, A.D. 2000. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk Passed and adopted on final reading this 2nd day of May, A.D. 2000. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk