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3 <br />LAW OFFICE OF MICF~A.EL W. PATRICK <br />312 West Franklin Street <br />Post Office Box 16848 <br />Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27516 <br />Michael QV. Patrick <br />E-mail: mpatrick®ncproductslaw.com <br />Hon. Moses Carey, Jr. <br />203 Simerville Rd. <br />Chapel Hill, N.C. 27517 <br />Dear Chairman Carey: <br />Telephone (919) 960-5848 <br />Telefax (919) 869-1348 <br />Toll Free (866) 960-5800 <br />August 31, 2007 <br />Re: Orange County Cable TV Advisory Committee <br />This will transmit to you a report developed by the Orange County Cable TV Advisory <br />Committee during facilitated discussions in May concerning the future of the Orange County <br />Cable TV Advisory Committee. With the signing of a long term cable franchise; the beginnings <br />of operation of a Government cable channel and the provision of facilities for live broadcast of <br />the Commissioner's meeting, the members of the committee along with the staff of the <br />Manager's office felt that it would be a good time to review the role of the Cable TV Advisory <br />Committee in county government. <br />Gwen Harvey was kind enough. to arrange a facilitated discussion of these issues <br />conducted by Andy Sachs of the Dispute Settlement Center. Mr. Sachs then prepared a summary <br />of the discussion which was reviewed and edited by the committee members. During the <br />discussion, a general consensus emerged that changes in what might be termed the technological <br />environment has rendered the original charge that the Board provided to the committee nearly 30 <br />years ago somewhat obsolete. At the same time, these changes have provided new challenges and <br />opportunities for the County in utilizing and managing available or emerging technology <br />resources. It is unclear that my committee, or any advisory committee, has a broad enough <br />mandate from the Commissioners to address these issues. <br />The main recommendation to the Commissioners from the Cable TV Advisory <br />Committee is that the committee should be either replaced with a new committee with a different <br />charge or that the committee's charge be revised. The Board should have access to a well- <br />functioning and well-informed group of citizens responsible for advising the Board and County <br />