CC Minutes - 06/26/00 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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Craig Miller, 1273 West 17th, spoke in support of community access television. He called it a valuable resource and called for ongoing funding. Matt Laubach, 184 East 26th Avenue, commented that community access televison was a wonderful resource for everyone and called for ongoing city support. Dan Koetting, 3172 Emerald Place, spoke in support of Community Television. He said that television was a powerful resource and called for everyone to have access. Kurt Jensen, 1690 Mississippi Avenue, called for support of Community Television. He commented on the diverse group of people that worked at community access television and said that the diversity at the station reflected the diversity of the community. He stressed the importance of a medium for a free exchange of ideas and called for increased ongoing funding. Tim Lewis, 1080 West 3rd, called for continued and increased funding of Community Television. He commented that the current amount of funding was crumbs. Mayor Torrey closed the public hearing. Councilor Rayor commented that he did not own a television, but support for community access television was warranted. He added that the public needed to make its own alternatives and that the citizens owned the airwaves associated with Community Television. Councilor Taylor, seconded by Councilor Farr, moved to approve Resolution 4639, a resolution adopting the budget, making appropriations, determining, levying and categorizing the annual Ad Valorem Property Tax Levy for the City of Eugene for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2000, and ending June 30, 2001. Councilor Taylor, seconded by Councilor Rayor, moved to amend the motion to allow funding ($7,500) for community access television. In response to a question from Councilor Kelly regarding the status of the funding, Councilor Taylor said that the funding would be ongoing and come from reducing the reserves by a like amount. Councilor Kelly reiterated Councilor Rayor in favor of the allocation of $7,500. He commented that he had not seen as diverse a range of people come out in support of an issue and added that this, in and of itself, spoke to the importance of community access television. He said that the money would be a good investment with a good return. Councilor Fart complimented the diversity of the testimony. In response to a question from Councilor Farr regarding an agreement about the last funding allocation, City Manager Johnson said that the organizers of community access television had agreed to do public outreach and find their own funding for the future. He said that the funding allocated at that time was clearly for one time only. In response to a question from Councilor Farr regarding public outreach for funding, Mr. Cleveland said that there had been some public outreach. He added that there had been a telethon that MINUTES--Eugene City Council June 26, 2000 Page 6 Regular Meeting