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TO: |
Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager |
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FROM: |
Kenneth C. Pennoyer, Business Management Services Director Sabrina Oliver, Communications and Public Affairs Director Catherine Lazorko, Public Information Officer |
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SUBJECT: |
Budget Ordinance and Resolution to Accept the e-NC Authority Grant |
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DATE: |
June 9, 2008 |
PURPOSE
The purpose of this report is to provide information regarding the award announced by the Public, Education or Government (PEG) Channel Capital Expenditure Grant Program of the e-NC Authority and recommend amending the budget to reflect an increase as a result of the grant award. The grant will be used to purchase video equipment including replacement cameras for the Council Chamber. The attached resolution, if approved, formally accepts the grant as awarded. The budget ordinance details the source for matching funds for fiscal year 2007-2008.
Chapel Hill TV18, the Town of Chapel Hill’s government access channel on Time Warner Cable, was successful in receiving from the e-NC Authority a $25,000 grant on April 22, 2008 (Attachment 1 and 2). Local governments receiving such grant funds must match the e-NC Authority’s award dollar-for-dollar. Partnering with the Town of Chapel Hill on the grant application are the Orange Water and Sewer Authority and the Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools, which are entities that regularly use the Town’s cablecasting equipment without charge by the Town.
The partnering arrangement for this grant is as follows:
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E-NC Share |
$25,000 |
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Town of Chapel Hill Share |
$12,500 |
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OWASA Share |
$6,250 |
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Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Share |
$6,250 |
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Total |
$50,000 |
Administered by the e-NC Authority, the Capital Expenditure Grant Program for Qualified PEG (Public, Education and Government) Channels was created by the N.C. General Assembly. Local governments with PEG channels that are certified with the N.C. Department of Revenue were given the opportunity to apply for the grant and each applicant was eligible to request up to $25,000 in funding per fiscal year.
As part of its distribution of Video Programming Tax, the NC Department of Revenue identifies Supplemental PEG Channel Support. We estimate this distribution to the Town of Chapel Hill will total $18,500 for the 2007-2008 budget year. We believe it would be reasonable to appropriate funds from this distribution as the Town’s share of matching funds required for this grant.
Chapel Hill was one of only five public, education or government access channels from across North Carolina to receive the award. The grant program is designed to boost programming efforts through capital improvements. In Chapel Hill, the funds will be used to upgrade television cameras and other equipment used to videotape government meetings.
That Council adopt the attached Resolution and enact the Budget Ordinance authorizing acceptance of the e-NC grant.
ATTACHMENTS