Agenda - 05-19-1998 - 9f - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

Telecasting Orange County Commissioners Meetings: Request for Consulting Services to Equip County Facilities from Orange County Cable Television Citizen Advisory Committee April 22,1998 Request In order to equip, the Orange County Southern Human Services Center to telecast County Commissioners meetings and other public meetings, the Cable Television Advisory Committee (CTCAC} requests that the County Commissioners: • Approve funding up to $5000 to retain the services of an audio-visual design consultant to produce the design for the facility; and • Review the attached Facility Options (Basic and Premium Options) and select one, to serve as a guide for the CTCAC and audio-visual consultant. 2 Background In order for cable-casting of County Commissioners' meetings to begin in the fall of 1998, progress must be made now on the decisions affecting how to equip the Southern Human Services Center for the broadcasts. The portion of the cost to be borne by the County is uncertain since the re-franchising negotiations with Time Warner may result in Time Warner contributing a substantial portion of the cost of the equipment. Because these negotiations are not expected to be completed until summer, the County can concurrently plan the facility design. This will allow the County to award a contract at the end of the summer for the purchase and installation of the equipment. The Cable TV Citizens Advisory Committee and County staff do not have the expertise to design the setup and select the necessary equipment. Retaining a consultant now will enable the following to happen: • A well thought-out design that is both highly functional and cost-effective; • Design input from all interested parties while franchise negotiations are underway; • Creation of a set of ordering documents so that purchasing and installation can occur immediately after agreement upon a franchise. Process The CTCAC will guide the activities of the consultant based on the input it receives from the commissioners, county administrators, citizens (including People's Channel representatives), Triangle J Council of Governments, and the CTCAC itself, iterating as necessary to achieve a satisfactory set of deliverables as described below. The CTCAC will present the results of the process to the Commissioners for their consideration upon their return from summer recess. At that time, the status of the franchise negotiations will be clearer, and the Commission will be able to act with full information about the total cable television issue.