City Manager Dennis Ritter met with Clarkston Public Access Center (CPAC) Program Director Andy Reish to discuss taping and broadcasting City Council meetings on cable.
‘I showed him we had some equipment here and he came over and he evaluated it,? Ritter told the council at last Monday’s meeting. ‘He said that we can do it, but there are just a couple pieces of equipment that we may very likely have to have and he thinks he may have some equipment over at the studio that they will not be using.?
Cost would be the minimum wage pay for someone to operate cameras and sound. Councilman Thomas Hunter asked if there would be any other expense. Ritter said he did not know yet.
‘It depends on how much equipment he has that we need,? he said.
Attorney Tom Ryan said the money shouldn’t come out of the general fund, but cable revenues.
‘It’s directly related to cable and that’s what the money is for,? Ryan said.
Councilman Cory Johnston asked if anybody talked with the township concerning cable revenue, because the township is in litigation with Comcast over Public Education and Government (PEG) fees.
‘I assumed we were combined with them because we always were before. There is one cable system so whatever they would get, we would get,? he said ‘I don’t know what we’re getting in relationship to them, but its (cable revenue) been an ongoing discussion at the township.?
Mayor Stephen Arkwright asked as how the council felt about taping. All were in favor of it.
Councilman Charles Iabnit said it would increase the chances of people ‘knowing what’s going on.?
Arkwright agreed.
‘If we’re trying to be more transparent and we’re trying to get more out to the people, I would assume everybody agrees this is something we need to make happen,? he said.
Ritter will give an update at the next meeting.