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HomeMy WebLinkAbout101-Alternative Sites for Live KSAR Broadcast of Public Meetings.pdf 1 SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: July 7, 2010 AGENDA ITEM: DEPARTMENT: Recreation & Facilities CITY MANAGER: Dave Anderson PREPARED BY: Michael Taylor, Recreation & Facilities Director DIRECTOR: Michael Taylor SUBJECT: Alternative Sites for Live KSAR Broadcast of Public Meetings RECOMMENDED ACTION: Review report and provide direction to staff regarding: 1. Whether live video and audio broadcast of public meetings is a requirement for an alternate meeting location or if a tape delay broadcast is an acceptable option; 2. A preferred alternate location for holding public meetings; 3. *Whether staff should seek funding from the KSAR 15 Trust Fund to pay for all or a portion of site improvements associated with an alternate broadcast location. *NOTE: If the City desires the site improvements to be paid for through the KSAR 15 Trust Fund, staff can request that the issue be scheduled before the KSAR Board for discussion. BACKGROUND: In July 2005, the City of Saratoga entered into an agreement with KSAR to broadcast City Council and Planning Commission meetings. Since then, the City has asked KSAR to provide additional services at an additional cost to the City such as indexing Council and Planning Commission meetings on the City’s Granicus system for web streaming. In September 2008, Council also allocated $3,000 in one-time funding to allow KSAR to make equipment upgrades that improved the recording and broadcasting of meetings held in the Council Chambers. The funding covered extending audio controls to the sound booth in the Council Chambers, one-time installation cost of new components in the KSAR studio that allow KSAR to send a signal to AT&T U-verse cable television customers, and created an audio/visual link to the LCD projection system in the Chambers. The term of the current agreement with KSAR is through June 30, 2011. REPORT SUMMARY: Complex infrastructure needs such as integration with KSAR, Comcast, AT&T, and Granicus have resulted in the Theater being the only site currently equipped for immediate live broadcast. As a result of some recent special meeting requests by City 2 Council for study sessions, candidate interviews, etc., the Recreation and Facilities Department was required to cancel a number of scheduled rental uses of the Civic Theater. With no currently available options for live televised broadcasts of public meetings, staff worked closely with Tom Moran and Dave Lee of KSAR to find alternative locations for live broadcast of meetings. Sites considered included: • Senior Center Adult Day Care Room. There is a plug in the wall for a Comcast feed. There are also old remote control cameras but they are no longer working. There is no direct Granicus feed there so it would not be live on the City's web site, though it would be live on the internet. KSAR staff is working with City IT staff on what it would take for a Granicus feed there. To go live from the Senior Center KSAR would need to bring over cameras, microphones, controllers, etc, and it is still uncertain if the meeting would be able to be live on the City's web site. KSAR does have the cameras, etc. for such remote shoots. They would of course also record to DVD for later rebroadcast and archiving. • Prospect Center Grace Building with a Comcast installed video feed. KSAR is investigating what Comcast would charge for this option. With a feed, the situation would be just like the current Senior Center, see above. • Prospect Center via the internet to the KSAR studio at West Valley College (WVC) or the equipment, and Comcast feed, at the Theater. Technically feasible, but unknown quality. There is the potential of pixilated, web-cam quality video on people's large screen TVs. Again, KSAR is working with City IT staff on what this option would need in terms of internet access, including the question of Granicus feed. Besides adequate internet speed, there may be internet security considerations. • Saratoga Library, Fire Station, etc. If the internet approach is feasible, KSAR could probably also do live shows from these and any other appropriately internet-connected locations. A site would need adequate internet speed and coordination with regard to any internet security issues. In addition, since neither of these facilities is City-owned, availability would be dependent on whether or not other meetings/events were already scheduled and might not accommodate the need to schedule meetings within short timeframes. DISCUSSION: It appears that creating one or more alternative sites for live broadcast of public meetings is technically feasible. Costs are still undetermined, depending on the site selected. City IT staff is currently waiting for information from Comcast for installing commercial video feed connections at the various sites. KSAR is working with City IT staff on the technical, logistical, and security feasibility of the internet approach -- particularly the integration with the Granicus system. 3 ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS: Make no changes in current practice and continue to hold meetings exclusively at the Civic Theater for live broadcast. Option 1 - Invest in permanent infrastructure improvements at one or more alternative sites to provide options for live broadcast. Option 2 – Conduct meetings using KSAR portable equipment for live relay broadcast. The City will need to negotiate a rate to provide this service with KSAR. Option 3 – Conduct meetings using KSAR recording equipment for tape-delay broadcast. The City will need to negotiate a rate to provide this service with KSAR. Option 4 – FISCAL IMPACTS: KSAR has a Trust Fund balance to be used exclusively for capital improvements by KSAR. The City acts as a fiscal agent for the fund, but all monies are controlled by the KSAR Board. Costs for infrastructure improvements will vary by site depending on location and needs. Once staff receives additional direction on whether live broadcast is required, and a preferred alternate location, detailed estimates can be prepared and presented to Council. FOLLOW UP ACTION: Provide direction to staff for follow-up. ADVERTISING, NOTICING AND PUBLIC CONTACT: Pursuant to Government Code 54954.2, this item was properly posted as a City Council agenda item and was included in the packet made available on the City’s web site in advance of the meeting on July 7, 2010. A copy of the agenda packet is also made available at the Saratoga Branch Library and other public locations each Monday in advance of the Council meeting. ATTACHMENTS: N/A