The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutCC-09-21-87-05 Amend Cable PartJANE A. REIMAN MAYOR 40 East Main Street - Carmel, Indiana 46032 - (317) 844-6433 C Y O F C A R M E L Established 1837 September 17, 1987 Memorandum: Dottie Hancock, Clerk Treasurer City Council Members You will note on the agenda an item, Cable Franchise. Mr. Maurer's o£fice is mailing under separate cover to each of you the back up information for this agenda item. The Cable TV Committee voted three for, one against. Steve Andrews, our attorney, is preparing the necessary Resolution £or Council's consideration Monday night. JAR/cdr MEMO TO:MEMBERS OF THE CARMEL CITY COUNCIL FROM:TED JOHNSON SUBJECT:CATV FRANCHISE AGREEMENT THE MEMBERS OF THE CARMEL CABLE TELEVISION ADVISORY COMMITTEE MET ON WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 9,1987 AND BY A VOTE OF 3 TO 1 WITH ONE ABSENT TO RECOMMEND TO THE COMMON COUNCIL THAT THE CITY AMEND THE CABLE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT ACCORDING TO THE SAMPLE COPY SUPPLIED YOU ON FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 18, 1987. THE COMMITTEE FEELS THAT THE BENEFIT TO THE CITIZENS AND USERS OF THE CABLE SYSTEM IS GREATER IF THE FRANCHISE IS AMENDED ACCORDINBLY. WHILE THE RATIONALIZATION OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS MAY HAVE DIFFERED IN THE AREAS OF INTEREST A GENERAL FEELING WAS PRODUCED THAT THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT REQUIRED TO IMPROVE AND MAINTAIN A FIRST CLASS CA8LE SYSTEM IS THE IMPORTANT COMPONENT TO THE CITY AS A PARTNER IN THIS VENTURE AND REDUCING THE FEE PROVIDES AN INCENTIVE TO THE OPERATOR TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY. AS A PROTECTION TO THE USERS WHO PROVIDE THIS INCOME TO THE CITY WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM THE OPERATOR THE ASSURANCE THAT THEY WILL OR ALREADY ARE OFFERING TO THE PUBLIC ADDITIONAL OUTLETS IN A HOME FOR NO MONTHLY COST AFTER INSTALLATION FEE. THE COST UNTIL JULY 1~ 1987 WAS $1.50 PER MONTH PER OUTLET. THEY ALSO HAVE AND WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPLY A PAY TELEVISION PROGRAM, AMERICAN MOVIE CLASSICS, AT NO ADDITIONAL COST TO THE USERS. THE VALUE OF THIS CHANNEL TO OTHER SYSTEMS AVERAGES $4.00 PER MONTH. THE VALUE OF THESE TWO ITEMS AT MARKET PRICE IN OTHER CABLE AREAS IS ABOUT $4.00 PER MONTH FOR THE FIRST YEAR IF EACH HOME WOULD ONLY ADD ONE OUTLET. THAT AMO~-(TS TO APPROXIMATELY $48 THE FIRST YEAR TO EACH USER. WE NOW HAVE 5500 SUBSCRIBERS IN THE SYSTEM IN THE CITY AND THAT WOULD AMOUNT TO AN EQUIVALENT BENEFIT OF $264000 PER YEAR. THE POTENTIAL LOSS TO THE COMMUNITY FROM THE FEE BEING REDUCED ACCORDING TO THE AMMENDED AGREEMENT FOR THE SIX YEAR PERIOD IF THE SYSTEM REVENUES WOULD GROW AT THE RATE IT HAS SINCE 1981 IS APPROXIMATELY $159000. IN SUMMARY THE COMMITTEE FEELS THAT BY EVIDENCE OF THE OPERATORS ATTENTION TO IMPROVING AND UPGRADING THE SYSTEM DURING THE PAST EIGHT MONTHS AND THE CONTINUING COOPERATION WITH THE SCHOOLS AND OTHER ENTITIES HE HAS DEMONSTRATED BY HIS OWN ACTIONS HIS INTENTION TO PROVIDE A SATISFACTORY SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY. WHAT VALUE IS IT TO THE COMMUNITY IF THE SEVICE WOULD CONTIUE AS IT HAD WITH THE LAST TWO OPERATORS? THE INCOME WE RECEIVE FROM THE FRANCHISE IS A CONTRIBUTION OF THE USERS AND IF IN FRUSTRATION AS THE ' BOARD President SHARON T. TERRY Vice President dON R, SCHMIDTKE. Ph. D Secretary SUE RICHARDSOi~ Members JAMES T. O'NEAL SR. PHILIP N, ESKEW, JR.. M.D. Hr. Ted Johnson Carmel City Councl I 317 Concord Lane Carmel, IN 46032 September 18, 1987 ADMINISTRATION Superintendent DR. ROBERT D; HARTMAN Director of Elementary Education NANCYLEE C. BUCKLEY Director of Employee and Student Relations JAMES F, BURRELL Director of Personnel SCOTT CHANDLER Director of Business ROGER D. HARPER Director of Media Services KAREN K. NIEMEYER Director of Instructional Services DR. MARVIN V. ODOM Dear Nr. Johnson: I shall be unable to attend the September 21st City Council meeting because I shall be at the Board of Education meeting of Carmel Clay Schools. However, I wish to assure you and the Carmel City Council that am comfortable with the revision of the cable television franchise. Formerly, I felt the option of a studio for local programming was important. I further felt that requiring, the employment of a full-time programmlngmanager prior to establlshing a studio was excessive. When the cable televlsion advisory committee began negotiating a revised franchise with Accucable, I was concerned about the desire to delete the provision of a studio. However, in the last twelve months a desirable alternative has surfaced. Carmel Clay Schools and the Carmel Chamber of Commerce have wril~en an application:for and received e grant (Carmel Clay Partners) from the Indiana Partners in Education Program to develop partnerships between area businesses and Carmel High ~;School. ~1 now believe that the partnership approach offers a ~ solutlon:~for;.community programming that is cost-effectlve for the ~ cable:companY, appropriatefor~residents~ and reallstlc. The hirlngof a programming manager was unllkely to be realistlc, and for that reason~ I have been seeking alternatives. One proposed partnership Involves the school, Accucable, and local groups, such as the Carmel Symphony Orchestra, area churches, and the PTO Coordlnatlng Council. The Carmel United Nethodlst Church has expressed Interesa' in broadcasting!their special concerts which draw crowds too large for the church building to accommodate. The church has offered to buy quality video cameras. The school trains students In video camera operation. The cable company could provide professlonal expertise to students, recommendatlons for camera angle, etc. The cable company might also provide cables, mixers, e~c., as they have occasionally done previously in thelr short tenure in Carmel. Volunteer students would tape the church programs~ symphony orchestra concerts, and PTO Coordinating Council programs on AIDS, etc. The videotapes would be provided to Accucable to air on the local access channel. Aocucable has agreed to air the programs In a ttmely fashlon after they have been screened to assure the content is reasonable. EDUCATIONAL SERVICES CENTER: 5201 EAST 131ST STREET, P,O, BOX 2099 · CARMEL, IN 48032 · TELEPHONE (317) 844-9961 Fortunately, much of today's technology Is affordable for homes and local organizations. Cameras an~ recorders would have'to be provlded by non-school sources, but students trained by the schools will be frequently willing to gain production experience Dy taping area programs. The Carmel High School channel does not have air time for extensive community programalng~ the local access channel provided by Accucable is the more logical vehicle. I continue to feel that students trained by the schools and by Accucable, professional advise and consultant services by Accucable, equipment and progranvnlng designed by local agencles, and the splrlt of cooperation, partnership, and negotiatlon that may result from the Carmel Clay Partners program will be more beneflclal than a studio provision wrl~ren Into the existing or revlsed franchise. Karen K. Niemeyer Director of Nedia Services cc: Jane Herrlll, Chair, Cable Advisory Committee RESOLUTION ADOPTING AMENDMENT TO THE CABLE T.V. FRANCHISE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF CARMEL, INDIANA AND ACCUCABLE COMPANY, A PARTNERSHIP NO. 9-21-87- WHEREAS, the City of Carmel, Indiana~ and Accucable Company, an Indiana Partnership, have entered into a Franchise Agreement permitting Accucable to provide continuous cable television ser- vices to the citizens of the City of Carmel, Indiana; and WHEREAS, the parties wish to amend the present Franchise Agreement existing between them; and WHEREAS, it is in the best interests of the citizens of Carmel, Indiana, that the Franchise Agreement be amended. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Common Council of the City of Carmel, Indiana, that the cable television franchise bet- ween the City of Carmel, Indiana and Accucable Company, an Indiana Partnership, shall be amended pursuant to the terms of an Agreement dated the day of September, 1987. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of the Amendment is attached hereto and made a part hereof, as an Agreement con- sisting of twenty-six (26) pages. PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Common Council of the City of of Carmel, Indiana, on the day of September, 1987. COMMON COUNCIL FOR THE CITY OF CARMEL, INDIANA By¸ JANE A. REIMAN, Presiding Officer ATTESTATION: DOROTHY J. HANCOCK Clerk-Treasurer DATE: ATTESTATION: DOROTHY J. HANCOCK Clerk-Treasurer APPROVED: By. JANE A. REIMAN, Mayor City of Carmel September 10, 1987 To: Carmel City Council From: Cable Television Advisory Committee Subject: Proposed New Franchise Agreement Accucable of Carmel and the Cable Television Advisory Committee have held a series of meetings to draft a new franchise agreement to replace the current one which expires in 1992. You will receive a copy of both the current agreement and the proposed new agreement from the cable company. The committee voted 3-1 (Tom Allebrandi was not present) to recommend to the City Council that they execute the new franchise agreement as proposed. Respectfully submitted, Ted Johnson Karen Niemeyer Cheryl Lind Jane Merrill