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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 far 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 second reading, County staff in conjunction with representatives from <br />TWC and TPC will continue plans and preparations for implementation, including: <br />1. Launching a joint public information program to make the community aware of the new <br />ordinance, the digital PEG channel, and haw residents can take advantage of the free <br />digital converter box offer, <br />