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West Covina council votes to restore cable broadcasts with $7,000 equipment upgrade
Summary
The council voted 4-1 on April 15 to restore televised council meetings using the city's existing webcast feed and about $7,000 in equipment paid from PEG funds; staffing beyond existing volunteers was not approved.
On April 15 the West Covina City Council voted 4-1 to restore televised broadcasts of council meetings using the city's current webcast feed and about $7,000 in equipment upgrades, funded from the city's public, education and government (PEG) account.
City staff presented three options for resuming broadcasts: use the existing live feed with minimal upgrades (about $7,000), add a more advanced "Broadcast Pix" system for $28,000 more plus staffing, or continue internet-only webcasting. Chris (city staff) told the council that Mount San Antonio College had offered to install the $7,000 equipment at no cost and recommended the low-cost setup as a first step.
The measure drew discussion about costs and staffing. Councilmember Warshaw opposed the motion, saying additional production staffing would be a general-fund expense; Warshaw said he was reluctant to add ongoing staff costs even though the one-time equipment purchase could be paid from PEG funds. Councilmember Spence and Mayor Pro Tem Sykes supported the lower-cost option and volunteer installation; Councilmember Toma and Mayor Hereford also voted in favor. The motion was moved by Councilmember Spence and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Sykes.
City staff estimated the PEG fund balance at approximately $257,000 and said PEG revenue could pay for the equipment purchases but not for regular production staff. Staff estimated fully staffed production would cost about $240 per meeting based on two production assistants at $20 per hour for up to six hours.
Supporters said restoring cable broadcasts would increase transparency for residents who rely on television rather than internet streams. Opponents urged caution about recurring general-fund staffing costs. Council approved the low-cost option, directing staff to proceed with the $7,000 upgrade and to coordinate installation with Mount San Antonio College.
The council also discussed re-establishing a PEG fee to fund longer-term capital needs for TV production; no vote on reinstating the fee occurred on April 15.
What the council decided
- Motion: Adopt option 1 to televise council meetings using the current live feed with no additional staffing and with $7,000 in equipment upgrades. - Mover: Councilmember Spence. Second: Mayor Pro Tem Sykes. - Vote: Spence Aye; Sykes Aye; Toma Aye; Warshaw No; Hereford Aye. Outcome: approved, 4-1.
Next steps
Staff will purchase the recommended equipment, coordinate volunteer installation with Mount San Antonio College and return with implementation details and any additional cost estimates if the council seeks fuller production capability in the future.
