HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 8.4 Live CablecastSystem CITY CLERK
File # 1050-10
AGENDA STATEMENT
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: November 20, 2001
SUBJECT:
Council Chambers Live Cablecast System
Report Prepared By: Jason Behrmann, Administrative Analyst
ATTACHMENTS:
1)
2)
3)
4)
Council Chamber Diagram
Camera and Mount Specifications
Security Housing Photo
Budget Change Form
RECOMMENDATION:
1)
2)
Determine whether the City should provide live transmission
of City Council Meetings. If live transmission is not desired,
no further action is required. If live transmission is desired,
Staff recommends the following actions:
Direct Staff to send a written request to AT&T to
complete the fiber optic communications link for the
Council Chambers°
b)
Provide Staff direction on whether to use the existing tri-
pod mounted cameras and CTV van configuration or
purchase in-house video production equipment.
If the Council does not wish to purchase in-house equipment,
no further action is required. If the Council chooses to
purchase in-house equipment, Staff recommends the
following actions:
a) Approve the attached budget change form in the amount
of $125,000 and
b)
Direct Staff to issue a Request for Proposal for the
design, purchase and installation of cameras and video
control equipment
c) Provide Staff direction regarding issues such as lighting,
security and camera configuration.
H/cc-for ms/agdastmt, doc
COPIES TO:
ITEM NO.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT: If the Council chooses to purchase video production equipment for
live broadcasts in the Council Chambers, a budget adjustment would be required, as funds were not
included in the current budget to provide for this project. Costs for the project are estimated to be
approximately $125,000. A portion ora recent $200,000 AT&T capital grant can be used to partially
offset this cost. There would be no additional cost if the Council desires live transmission without
purchasing the cameras and production equipment. As part of the new cable franchise agreement, AT&T
will complete the necessary improvements to provide live broadcasts at the Council Chambers.
DESCRIPTION:
Since 1996, City of Dublin Council meetings have been broadcast on CTV. The meetings are taped using
3 mounted tripods and a van that houses the control equipment. The meetings are aired the night following
the Council Meeting and repeated several times throughout the week. In the past, the Council has shown
interest in providing live transmission of City Council Meetings. Until recently, the fiber optic cable and
transmission equipment necessary for live broadcasts was not available.
On June 1, 2001 the City entered into a 10-year cable system franchise agreement with AT&T. As part of
the agreement, AT&T has agreed to complete the fiber optic line to the Civic Center and install the '
transmission equipment required for live transmissions. Additionally, the City will receive $200,000 for
capital expenditures associated with the purchase of video production equipment and associated facility
modifications for the City and/or CTV. With the new franchise agreement in place, and the availability of
this new funding, it is appropriate for the Council to consider the live transmission of Council Meetings
and whether to purchase fixed cameras and video production equipment.
LIVE CABLECAST TRANSMISSION
The primary advantage of a live broadcast is that residents are able to view the information immediately.
In addition to the live broadcasts, Council Meetings would continue to be re-broadcast during the week for
those residents unable to attend or view the meeting Tuesday night. The project would also provide a
different venue from which live programming other than City Council Meetings could be broadcast°
Presently the only connections in the Tri-Valley are the Pleasanton Council Chambers and the CTV
Studio. Livermore and San Ramon have similar franchise agreements that may provide live transmission
connections at their respective city halls in the future.
The provision of live broadcasts will not affect the cost of producing the Council Meeting or the
flexibility in scheduling meetings. Once the fiber optic cable is extended to the Civic Center and AT&T
installs the transmission equipment, meetings could be broadcast live. There is no requirement for new
cameras or control equipment for live transmission other than City Council Meetings.. The Franchise
Agreement requires that AT&T complete the required improvements for live transmission within six
months from the date of the City's written request. This would mean that, if approved by the Council, the
Council Chambers could be ready for live transmissions by March 2002, utilizing the existing tri-pod
cameras°
CITY-OWNED CAMERAS AND VIDEO PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT
The Council may also wish to consider installing wall-mounted cameras and video production equipment.
The primary reason for considering on-site production equipment is if the City Council desired to achieve
greater control and flexibility for scheduling live events. If the City continues to rely on the CTV
equipment, the availability of the van will dictate when live broadcasts can be transmitted. It should be
noted that City Staff would still rely on the availability of trained CTV Staff to operate City equipment.
Using the van would not be a.problem unless the City decided to change its meeting night or wanted to
broadcast other events such as Planning Commission meetings. The tri-pod cameras and van availability
are limited because they are used for many meetings and events in Pleasanton, Livermore, Dublin and San
Ramon.
Purchasing in house cameras and production equipment would also reduce the operating cost of Council
Meetings. The City currently pays CTV $550 per meeting to tape and broadcast the Council Meetings. If
the City had its own production equipment, CTV would provide personnel at an hourly rate. Only two
staff would be required and the cost for a 4-hour meeting would be approximately $150. Only one
operator is required to run the equipment, but CTV recommends keeping two, at least until the operators
gain more experience with the City's system. Because the City would own the fixed cameras, annual
maintenance and internal service charges for equipment replacement would be required. Including these
charges, and assuming that the time required'for all meetings averages 4 hours, it is estimated that the total
annual cost savings to broadcast City Council Meetings using in house cameras and production equipment
would be approximately $1,000.
The estimated useful life of the cameras and production equipment is 10 years, which means that the
equipment will be due for replacement when the AT&T cable franchise agreement is scheduled for
renewal° As part of the franchise negotiations, Staff could potentially request Council Chamber equipment
replacement funds. This would eliminate the need to use the internal service funds and raise the potential
annual savings to between $10,000 and $12,000.
In June 2000, the City hired Coast Business Communications (CBC) to complete a cablecast feasibility
study for the Council Chambers. CBC concluded that there was adequate space in the existing alcove
space located behind Staff seating at the Council dais to house the video control equipment. CBC noted
that this alcove could be converted to a control room with minor modifications. The modifications
include: removing the millwork now being used as a counter; installing a door entering the alcove; adding
an HVAC inlet/exhaust system for cooling of the equipment and operator; and permanently sealing the
wall area that opens into the Council Chambers. It is estimated that the modifications would cost
approximately $15,000. It should be noted that the modifications would eliminate other potential future
alcove uses by City Staff.
The control rOom would include a touch pad controller to remotely operate the cameras, video switchers
for switching between cameras, a small monitor for each camera, a preview and take monitor for setting
up a camera shot and directing it to the live feed. The system would also include a scan converter to
convert computer images to video for the live feed. This would allow PowerPoint presentations to be
broadcast directly without filming the image from the roll-down screen. Additionally CBC recommends
installing two VCRs to ensure maintaining a good copy of all proceedings in the event of failure on the
part of one VCR.
CBC recommends installing four wall-mounted cameras in positions throughout the COuncil Chambers to
ensure complete coverage. The camera locations are shown on the Council Chamber diagram (Attachment
1) and labeled 1-4. Camera 1 would be placed directly behind the dais and mounted at the8' level on the
wall to capture a frontal shot of the speakers as they appear at the podium. Camera 2 and 3 would be
located on each side of the dais on the wall at the 7' level to provide a full frontal shot of anyone seated on
either side of the dais. Camera 4 would be mounted high on the wall in the rear of the Council Chambers
to provide a wide shot of the dais and also to provide a frontal shot of the persons seated at the center of
the dais.
The cameras would be mounted on support brackets and controlled remotely from the control room.
Pictures of the cameras and brackets are included as Attachment 2. It is estimated that the cameras, control
equipment and installation would cost approximately $110,000.
FUNCTION AND AESTHETICS
There are several functional and aesthetic issues that the Council may wish to consider when determining
whether to purchase in house cameras and production equipment.
Functionally, the fixed cameras and production equipment would be designed specifically for the Dublin
Council Chambers. The cameras would be new state of the art cameras with highly sophisticated image
processing technology providing clear pictures and smooth controls. The control system would allow
smooth transitions, panning, and zooming. The four mounted cameras would also provide better camera
coverage, particularly of Staff and public speakers.
The current tri-pod configuration creates minor inconveniences during Council Meetings. For example, it
is often difficult for .Staff and the public to pass from one side of the Council Chamber to the' other
because of the tripods and wires running along the floor. Additionally, the wires run out the side exit,
requiring the door to remain open during the meetings, and making it difficult for Staffto prevent
unauthorized entry~
Fixed cameras cause no inconvenience because they are mounted high enough to be out of the traffic area.
There is no visible cabling because all wires are permanently installed. Disruption from camera operators
and inconvenience from cameras and wiring is virtually eliminated.
On the other hand, while the tri-pod configuration may not be the most attractive or functional, it is not
permanent. In the case of remote cameras, the cables are not visible, but the brackets are visible and they
are permanent. While some may feel that the cameras add to the professional appearance of the Council
Chambers, others may perceive the permanent fixtures as being unattractive. Because the brackets will be
drilled into the paneling, they should be Seen as permanent fixtures. Removing them would leave holes in
the walls, which may not be easily repaired.
LIGHTING
During CBC's feasibility study, the lighting of the Council Chambers was discussed. CBC noted that
existing lighting, while not optimal, would be adequate for the cameras. In order to produce the best
picture quality, additional lighting would be required. When determining whether additional lighting is
desired, the Council should consider whether the existing broadcast is too "dark" under the current
lighting configuration. Staff has not included additional lighting as part of the budget change° If the
Council desires to enhance the lighting, Staff would need time to research the issue and come back with
design and cost estimates~
SECURITY
As with any large capital investment, it is extremely important that the equipment be protected and secure.
Camera equipment was recently stolen from the City of Pleasanton Council Chambers. To protect the
City's investment, Staff has evaluated a number of different security options. The first option would be for
CTV to remove the cameras after each meeting and lock them in the control room. This would be
relatively easy to do and would not take much time, but may reduce the life of the cameras and increase
maintenance costs due to the frequent movement and handling of the cameras. The cameras are designed
to be mounted in a fixed location and are not built as portable devices as the tri-pod cameras are.
Removing the cameras may also detract from the aesthetics of the Council Chambers when the cameras
are not being used, because the wall brackets may look out of place without the cameras.
A second option would be to purchase security housing for the cameras. The main problem with the
housing is the visual impact (Attachment//3). Please note that the housing pictured in Attachment 3 is
smaller than would be required for the City's cameras. The housing would be much more visible and
potentially unattractive. Adequate funds are provided in the Budget Change Form if the Council desires to
install security housing for the cameras°
The simplest security option would be to keep the Council Chambers locked when the room is not in use.
Currently, there is unrestricted access° Keeping the Chamber doors locked could be inconvenient to some
but would protect the equipment against theft and vandalism.
AVAILABLE FUNDS
As previously mentioned, as a result of the City's new cable franchise agreement, the City will receive
$200,000, which can be used for the purchase of video production equipment and associated facility
modifications for the City and/or CTV. CTV is in the process of completing a design and RFP process for
the expansion and renovation of the CTV studio. The CTV Board has expressed an interest in using a
portion of the money from the franchise negotiations to pay for the facility and equipment improvements.
Over the past 3 years, the City has provided CTV with a capital budget of $12,500 annually to upgrade
outdated equipment. It is likely that this request will increase significantly as the renovation process
moves forward. In the past the City has used General Fund money for CTV operating and capital costs.
With the new franchise, a $.50 per subscriber fee will be used to pay the operating costs. If the City
decides to use $125,000 of the $200,000 on production equipment for the Council Chambers, the City
would fund future CTV capital requests in excess of $75~000 from the General Fund.
While CTV has not yet received any bids for the renovation, the project is estimated to cost in excess of
$600,000. The City's share would be $150,000, which means that the City would be asked to contribute at
least $75,000 from the General Fund in future years.
RECOMMENDATION
1)
Determine whether the City should provide live transmission
of City Council Meetings. If live transmission is not desired,
no further action is required. If live transmission is desired,
Staff recommends the following actions:
Direct Staff to send a written request to AT&T to
complete the fiber optic communications link for the
Council Chambers.
b)
Provide Staff direction on whether to use the existing tri-
pod mounted cameras and CTV van configuration or
purchase in-house video production equipment.
2)
If the Council does not wish to purchase in-house equipment,
no further action is required. If the Council chooses to
purchase in-house equipment, Staff recommends the
following actions:
a) Approve the attached budget change form in the amount
of $125,000 and
h)
Direct Staff to issue a Request for Proposal for the
design, purchase and installation of cameras and video
control equipment
c) Provide Staff direction regarding issues such as lighting,
security and camera configuration.
Council Chamber Diagram with Wall Mounted Cameras and Video Production Control Room
EXIT
NEW
DOOR
CORNTROL
ENTRANCE
Not drawn to scale
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A-I-I'ACH M ENT 2
CPC-WMT
Description
Functional Description
The CPC-WMT is an accessory for thc Crestron CPC-CAMI. This accessory is
designed as a wall mount for the CPC-CAMI. It offers an attractive design that
easily mounts to various surfaces.
Physical Description
Constructed of durable powdercoated steel, the CPC-WMT is at home in any
environment. The overall length of the CPC-WMT is 16.25 inches (41.28 cm) and
should provide sufficient clearance for most of today's camera/lens assemblies~ The
maximum load rating is 40 pounds (88 kg). Two 1/4-20xl/2 inch screws attach the
CPC-CAMI to the CPC-WMTo
CPC~WMT: Physical View
Wall Mount Accessory: CPC-WMT · 1
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A'I-I"ACH M ENT 3
CITY OF DUBLIN
BUDGET CHANGE FORM
CHANGE FORM #
New Appropriations (City Council Approval Required):
Budget Transfers:
__X From Unappropriated Reserves From Budgeted Contingent Reserve (1080-799.000)
Within Same Department Activity
From New Revenues Between Departments (City Council Approval Required)
Other
Name: Name: Equipment $110,000
Account #: Account #: 001.New.750.073
Name: Name: Improvements $15,000
Account #: Account #: 001 .New. 750o050
Name: Name:
Account #: Account #:
Name: Name:
Account #: Account #:
Name: Name:
Account #: Account #:
Fin Mgr/ASD: Date:
Signature
REASON FOR BUDGET CHANGE ENTRY: Cable franchise capital grant fund revenue was budgeted in FY
2001-2002 and received in August 2001 ($200,000). However no expenditures were budgeted for this projectI
in FY 2001-2002 because the scope of the project was not yet defined. A budget change is required to authorize
the expenditure.
City Manager: Date:
Mayor:
Signature
As Approved at the City Council Meeting on:
Signature
Posted By:
Signature
formslbudgchng
Date:
Date:
Date:
ATTACHMENT 4