CVT commission approves one-year TPO agreement, sets $20,000 cap for moving costs

The Wilmington Cable Video and Telecommunications Commission voted Feb. 28 to approve a one-year agreement that shifts responsibility for the TPO’s studio lease, utilities and equipment off the city and authorizes up to $20,000 in reimbursement for unforeseen costs related to moving the TPO’s operations.

The decision matters because the city’s current lease for the TPO space ends March 31 and commissioners and the TPO operator warned the relocation and equipment reconfiguration could interrupt local public-education-and-government programming for weeks to months.

Chair Trippie Congo opened the discussion and staff presented a proposed one-year arrangement in which the city would no longer be responsible for the lease, utilities, equipment maintenance or new equipment costs tied to the TPO site. Michelle Bassenite, identified in the meeting as the council’s senior legislative advisor, told commissioners the agreement would include a stated purpose clarifying the TPO’s community role and that the city would not assume moving costs if the TPO relocates from its current site — except for moving a station location from the Third Floor to the First Floor, which the city agreed to absorb.

Commissioner…