CITY COUNCIL: Web Casting

Meeting Date: January 8, 2008
Prepared by: Steve Mcinchak

City Council
Agenda Item Summary

Name: Consideration of a Resolution authorizing the expenditure of funds to purchase the equipment and service for Web Casting of City Council meetings.

Description: The City of Carmel-by-the-Sea has strived to telecast live City Council meetings and since it is difficult and expensive to broadcast via television cable, the service provided by Granicus, Inc. is a good alternative. The service takes Council meeting video and streams it to any person with a computer and internet access. It will also archive for one year the past meetings and allow for viewing of archives by agenda item of that meeting. The City would continue to broadcast on channel 26 the Sunday after the meeting.

Overall Cost: Funds would be from the Public, Education and Government (PEG)
deposit account that is provided by Comcast for television
City Funds: $7,615.00 start up cost and $6,263.00 annual cost

Staff Recommendation: Adopt Resolution authorizing the expenditure of funds to
purchase the equipment and service for Web Casting of City Council meetings.

Important Considerations: It has always been the desire of the Council to have an
additional way to provide information to citizens in a timely manner. Live broadcasts on cable TV have not been possible because of technical issues regarding the transport of signal. This would be a good alternative using existing technology. The alternative is to keep the existing broadcast schedule for meetings.

Decision Record:

Reviewed by:
________________________________ ________________
Rich Guillen, City Administrator Date:


CITY OF CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA
INFORMATION SERVICES
STAFF REPORT
TO: MAYOR MCCLOUD AND COUNCILMEMBERS
THROUGH: RICH GUILLEN, CITY ADMINISTRATOR
FROM: STEVE MCINCHAK, IS/NETWORK MANAGER
DATE: 19 DECEMBER 2007
SUBJECT: WEB CASTING OF CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS

RECOMMENDED MOTION
Adopt Resolution authorizing the expenditure of funds to allow the IS manager to purchase the equipment and service for Web Casting, live, of City Council meetings.

BACKGROUND
The City of Carmel-by-the-Sea has always desired to telecast live City Council meetings and since it is difficult and expensive to broadcast via television cable, the service provided by Granicus, Inc. is a good alternative. The service takes Council video and streams it to any person with a computer and internet access. It will also archive for one year the past meetings and allow for viewing of archives by agenda item of that meeting. The City would continue to broadcast on channel 26 the Sunday after the meeting.

DISCUSSION
Granicus is a full service provider that first made contact with the City in 2000. At that time they were just getting started and their fee schedule wasn’t as attractive as their current offer. Granicus currently provides these services to the cities of Brentwood, Pinole, the City and County of Honolulu, City of Sacramento, City of Stockton, City at Berkeley, City of Cerritos, City of El Segundo, County of Ventura, City of Milpitas, City of Long Beach, City of Gilroy and many more. A client list is posted on the Granicus website.

To view web streaming provided by Granicus to the City of Sacramento type in the following on the address line: http://www.cityofsacramento.org/webtech/streaming_video/live_council_meetings.htm, then click on “Archived Meetings” and select one of the many meetings listed.

To view web streaming of an archived council meeting for the City of Berkeley type in the following: www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/citycouncil/agendaindex.htm, select a meeting date and click “video” for the date you have selected.

STAFF REVIEW
The City Clerk contacted other cities asking if they used this service and how they liked. The responses were favorable from those using the service, which includes support and training.

FISCAL IMPACT
The cost for this service is as follows;
Software Modules
MediaManager $1,500.00
Outcast Encoder (1 License ) $150.00
Sales Tax 7.5 % $123.75
Software Subtotal $1,773.75

Professional Services
Software Installation and Configuration $307.50
On-Site Training (1 Day ) $2,000.00
Phone/Web Training (2 Hours ) $300.00
Player Template $225.00
View Template $225.00
Sales Tax 7.5 % $0.00
Professional Services Subtotal $3,057.50

Hardware Components
Outcast Encoder Server (standard rack mount with RAID) $2,100.00
Osprey 230 Video Capture Card $350.00
Sales Tax 7.5 % $183.75
Hardware Subtotal $2,633.75
Shipping $150.00
Total Sales Tax+ 7.5 % $307.50
Total Up-Front Software, Professional Services & Hardware $7,615.00

Total Monthly Managed Services $521.90

The start-up cost will be funded from the Public, Education and Government (PEG) provided by the franchise agreement with Comcast cable. The account is at approximately $11,000 with deposits of approximately $9,000 every quarter. This account is for the expressed use of Capital Equipment and services in the television broadcasting of government meetings for the public.

SUMMARY
Adopt Resolution authorizing the expenditure of funds to allow the IS manager to purchase the equipment and service for Web Casting, live, of City Council meetings, not to exceed the $7,615.00 and provide budgeting for the $6,263.00 annual cost.