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Council holds community access media legislation amid equity concerns for Atlanta Tech and Georgia State
Summary
The committee held an ordinance and intergovernmental agreement to establish a Community Access Media Board and an operating agreement with Georgia State; council members requested changes to ensure Atlanta Technical College receives equivalent equipment and services.
The City Utilities Committee on Sept. 23 voted to hold two related items that would establish a Community Access Media Board and authorize an intergovernmental agreement with the Board of Regents and Georgia State University to operate the city’s community access media and PEG programming. The motion to hold passed 5-0.
Committee members said Georgia State requested additional internal approvals and asked for a short hold to resolve legal and contractual details; the city’s goal is to finalize outstanding issues within about three weeks. Jay Olubaywu of the mayor’s Office of Sustainability and Resilience told the committee the hold stems from Georgia State’s internal attorney reviews.
Several council members pressed for explicit parity between Georgia State’s planned equipment and the resources to be provided to Atlanta Technical College (Atlanta Tech) and Atlanta Metropolitan; they said the city must ensure Atlanta Tech receives “the same thing” as Georgia State. The city’s attorneys recommended contracting with Georgia State while including a requirement that Georgia State subcontract or otherwise contract with Atlanta Tech so both institutions share responsibilities and equipment access. Committee members asked staff and law to tighten the draft language to reflect that intent; the committee agreed to return the matter after the requested revisions and approvals.
