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so10 Ta 8� <br />lit <br />r'�� /� �d <br />o ty ®f South Ben <br />�Y <br />Common Council <br />� R <br />1865 441 County -City Building e 227 W. Jefferson Blvd <br />South Bend, Indiana 46601 -1830 <br />Derek D. Dieter <br />President <br />Oliver J. Davis <br />Vice- President <br />Ann Puzzello <br />Chairperson, Committee <br />of the Whole <br />Derek D. Dieter <br />First District <br />Henry Davis, Jr. <br />Second District <br />Thomas LaFountain <br />Third District <br />.Ann Puzzello <br />Fourth District <br />David Varner <br />Fifth District <br />Oliver J. Davis <br />Sixth District <br />Al "Buddy" Kirsits <br />At Large <br />Timothy A. Rouse <br />At Large <br />Karen L. White <br />At Large <br />April 19, 2011 <br />Members of the Common Council <br />Ott' Floor County -City Building <br />South Bend, Indiana 46601 <br />(574) 235 -9321 <br />Fax (574) 235 -9173 <br />TDD (574) 235 -5567 <br />http://www.southbendin.gov <br />Re: Resolution in Support of Community -Wide Public Access Broadcasting <br />Dear Council Members: <br />The attached resolution is proposed to help initiate cooperative support among public <br />and private leaders in South Bend, Mishawaka, and St. Joseph County on developing <br />community access television services for our residents. <br />In December of 2007, Comcast closed their production studios and playback <br />facilities for public access television. However, Comcast continues to pay franchise <br />fees to cities, towns and counties which had franchise agreements in effect before the <br />Indiana state law changed the franchising authority from them to the Indiana Utility <br />Regulatory Commission (IURC). <br />The "City of South Bend 2010 City and Town Annual Report" filed with the Office <br />of the City Cleric on February 24, 2011, reported "Cable TV Receipts /Cable TV <br />Franchise" received by the City of South Bend was $ 817,023 in 2010, which reflects <br />the revenues paid by Comcast and AT & T to the city (copy attached). <br />The Common Council and the Council's Information and Technology Committee <br />have discussed this topic on numerous occasions. Cooperative efforts between other <br />governmental units who receive franchise revenues, and other entities should be <br />pursued. Currently, public access television programming is taking place in <br />Bloomington, Connersville, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Michigan City, Muncie and <br />Richmond. I have attached a brief synopsis of those ventures for you to review. I <br />seek your support of the resolution, so that meaningful dialogue may begin prior to <br />the governmental budgetary process. Thank you. <br />Sincerely, <br />David Varner, Chairperson <br />Information and Technology Committee <br />Attachments <br />ad in <br />9 nil <br />., d . ,� • ,„ ., <br />kiw _14 <br />