Council Broadcasts Not That Expensive
* Thank you for printing Martin Miller’s article (“TV Brings City Councils to O.C. Homes--Warts and All,” Jan. 30) on cable broadcast of city council meetings in Orange County.
Miller says in his article that, regarding nine cities that do not broadcast the meetings, “most cities say they want it but lack the funds to install the technology.” I investigated the situation in Fullerton at the request of Alan Morton, who was mentioned in the article. I found that Fullerton’s posture of “lack of funds” was based on a 1990 consultant’s report that estimated the installation costs at $135,800. The estimate presumed a “Rolls-Royce” installation. In December, 1993, I proposed to Council Member Molly McClanahan a “no-frills” installation that would have cost only $15,000.
In response, city staff issued a memo that stated “staff does not take issue with Mr. Hume’s suggestion that council meetings could be broadcast using a single fixed camera and the existing audio source for $15,000 to $20,000.”
The staff’s memo was dated Dec. 14, 1993. Because of the memo, pro-broadcast Council Member Chris Norby requested that the issue be placed on the Jan. 18 council agenda, but it was not. McClanahan has never answered my written questions about how much the costs of installation would have to be mitigated before she would endorse broadcast of council meetings.
The excuse of “lack of funds” is a red herring raised by staff and politicians who wish to avoid public scrutiny of their behavior.
W. SNOW HUME
Fullerton
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