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3 <br /> the CAC meeting and expressed his opinion that the proposal represented "a very good deal" <br /> for the County. <br /> Upon execution of an approved Franchise Ordinance/Agreement, TWC expects to extend cable <br /> television services for news, weather and information to the Government Services Center that <br /> would enable the County to discontinue its contract for satellite services. <br /> Highlights of the Proposed Franchise Ordinance/Agreement <br /> Requires the grantee to extend services to any household where the number of occupied <br /> homes, and homes for which certificates of occupancy been issued, equals at least 18 <br /> homes per street mile. <br /> TWC had objected to this density level under the proposed 2003 ordinance/agreement. <br /> Differences have been resolved and agreement reached to a density of 18 households per <br /> street mile. <br /> Requires the grantee to designate a PEG (Public, Educational, Government) access <br /> channel for sole use by the County for live and recorded telecasts of Board meetings and <br /> other government access programming. <br /> PEG access was another area of contention under the 2003 ordinance/agreement. TWC has <br /> agreed to provide the County with a digital channel on the cable system for PEG access. Cable <br /> subscribers without the digital tier will be provided, upon request, with a free digital box to <br /> enable them to view programming on the County access channel. <br /> Requires the grantee to design and install a system of equipment that would provide <br /> signal transportation for County Board meeting telecasts on a designated PEG channel <br /> that originate from Southern Human Services Center or the F. Gordon Battle Courtroom. <br /> The BOCC has held a longstanding interest in the "capitalization" of County facilities used for <br /> public meetings, particularly those of the legislative process. TWC has now agreed to purchase <br /> and install the requisite capital equipment (cameras, monitors, scan converters, switchers, <br /> recorders, etc.) to allow for livecasting of BOCC meetings from both locations at its up-front <br /> expense. These capital improvements should bring greater efficiency and enhanced quality of <br /> output to the current process under contract with The People's Channel. Staff contemplate that <br /> TPC would continue on as principal operator of these facilities on behalf of the BOCC. <br /> Upon implementation of the proposed Franchise Ordinance/Agreement, cable subscribers in <br /> unincorporated Orange would see a "surcharge" on their monthly cable bill, consistent with FCC <br /> rules, so that TWC can recover its capital investment over a period of 10 years. Preliminary <br /> estimates indicate an annual cost per subscriber of roughly 25 cents per month. <br /> Next Steps <br /> If approved at first reading, this item would return for the required second reading and adoption <br /> as recommended by the Cable Advisory Committee at the BOCC meeting on November 15. <br />