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Council approves Lakes Area TV 2026 budget; cable commissioner abstains
Summary
The Forest Lake City Council approved the Lakes Area TV 2026 budget after a presentation from Paul Peterson outlining rising costs and audience growth; one council member abstained due to involvement on the cable commission.
The Forest Lake City Council approved the 2026 Lakes Area TV budget after hearing a budget presentation from Paul Peterson, who said rising costs for health insurance, salary and rent have pressured the volunteer-run station and outlined growing audience metrics.
Paul Peterson described steady growth in online viewers — noting recent single-event audiences from local sports — and detailed educational work with local schools. “We are on track to have close to a quarter of 1000000 views on our YouTube channel for the year,” Peterson said while summarizing programming and outreach efforts.
Council members thanked the station for local coverage and discussed funding mechanisms, including potential sponsorships and regional franchise revenue models. A council member with a role on the local cable commission said they would abstain from the vote to avoid a conflict; the motion to approve the budget was made by a council member (S9) and seconded by Council Member Larson, and carried with one abstention.
The approval directs staff to include the Lakes Area TV budget in the city’s 2026 appropriations. The council did not adopt additional conditions beyond the budget approval; city staff noted they will continue to monitor franchise and sponsorship developments.
The council moved on to other agenda items following the vote.
