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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCandidate ForumsCity Manager 1 • Final City Manager Approval Name Date Approved City Administration _Approver I Michael Codron September 2, 2014 August 25, 2014 FROM: Anthony Mejia, City Clerk SUBJECT: USE OF THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS TO CONDUCT AND BROADCAST NON - PARTISAN CANDIDATE FORUM RECOMMENDATION 1. Consistent with City policy, the City Manager approves of the use of the Council Chamber by the League of Women Voters to conduct and broadcast a non - partisan Candidate Forum in the month of September for the November 2014 election. 2. Directed staff to replay the Candidate forum through Election Day, November 0 3. Waive the fee for the rental of the facility and covering the cost of the KCBX staff to broadcast and schedule the rebroadcast of the event. DISCUSSION Policy Guidance Council Policies and Procedures and the Government Access Channel Operations Guidelines (Attachments 1 and 2), states that the City may provide the Council Chamber and cable television capabilities for non - partisan city -wide candidate forums to educate the community and promote representative governance. Council Policies and Procedures, Section 1.1.5 authorizes the City Manager to give permission to any group who requests to use the Council Chamber for the use of holding a candidate forum. Most Recent Forum In 2010 and 2013 the City hosted, and the League of Women Voters (LOW) sponsored, a candidate forum in the Chamber. The sponsoring organization was responsible for the format and the content. The City was responsible for extending invitations to the candidates and providing promotion of the forum to the public. Candidate Forum for 2014 Election It is staff s recommendation to work in collaboration with the LOWV to proactively facilitate a forum during the month of September. The City Clerk will have the lead and will be responsible for making this nonpartisan event happen and be open to all candidates. 2014 CITY HOSTED CANDIDATE FORUM W /LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS Pane 2 IWK10 0a101ZT0i The current contract with KCBX allows for additional special meetings /events. The cost to broadcast a candidate forum would be approximately $360 which can be absorbed in the existing budget for contract services. Staff recommends waiving the fee for the rental of the facility and covering the cost of the KCBX staff to broadcast and schedule the rebroadcast of the event. ATTACHMENTS 1. Council Policy and Procedure Section 1. 1.5 2. Government Access Channel Operating Guidelines TACity Manager ReportACity Clerk\2014 \Candidate Forum \Candidate Forum for November 2014 Election.docx COUNCIL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES CHAPTER ONE MEETING GUIDELINES & PROCEDURES 1.1.5 USE OF COUNCIL CHAMBER 1.1.5.1 The City Manager, or designee, is responsible for maintaining a calendar on the use of the Council Chamber and all requests for reservations shall be cleared through the administrative office. 1.1.5.2 When a question arises regarding permission for any group to use the facility, the City Manager shall have authority to make the final decision. The following rules are established as a guide: a. Use of the Council Chamber by City commissions, committees, and other advisory bodies shall take precedence over any other group or agency. b. Favorable consideration shall be given to other governmental agencies and non -profit groups during regular business hours only, unless otherwise approved by the City Manager (see exception noted in Section 1.1.5.2.c). These groups will be charged for the use of the Council Chamber at the same rate charged governmental agencies and non -profit groups for use of the Community Room at the City /County Library. No events of a commercial nature shall be allowed. The Council Chamber will not be available for use by any non -City organizations during non - business hours, unless otherwise approved by the City Manager (see exception noted in Section 1.1.5.2.c). c. With the approval of the City Manager, other local governmental agencies may use the Council Chamber for the purpose of live or video cablecasting public hearings and/or public meetings during regular or non - business hours. The fee charged shall be the same rate charged governmental agencies for use of the Community Room at the City /County Library, in addition to the cost for services provided by the City for cablecasting operations. d. No admission shall be charged. No events featuring the service of food or drink shall be allowed. e. Regularly scheduled meetings by other agencies and groups shall be discouraged. f. Meetings being held to advocate the election or re- election of a particular candidate for political office shall not be allowed. However, the Council Chamber may be used for a Candidate and/or City Ballot Measure Forum where the public and all candidates and/or proponents /opponents to a City ballot measure or candidates for a particular public office have been invited. Any candidate/ ballot measure forums to be held in the Council Chamber shall not include City staff services. coveRnment access channel opeaatinc cuiaelines Channel Manaeement The City of San Luis Obispo manages the government access channel and decides which programs will be cablecast on the channel. The City Administrative Officer (hereafter "CAO "), is responsible for the daily management and programming of the channel. Programs produced by the City of SLO will provide specific information about City services, operations and decision making and shall be consistent with the mission statement and objectives outlined in the policy statement. The City's government access channel shall provide direct, non - editorial information to the citizens of SLO concerning their city government. The government access channel is not intended to be a political forum, nor a mechanism for building support for a particular policy, program or issue. Prop-ram Content 1) All programming shall be consistent with the City's Government Access Policy Statement (hereafter "Policy Statement "). 2) Programming on the government access channel shall be non - commercial and shall meet all applicable Federal, State and local laws. 3) Eligible programming includes coverage of public meetings, promotion of City and City - sponsored events and services, emergency information, election information programming, public safety information, public service announcements and programming produced by outside sources that is consistent with the Policy Statement and these guidelines. 4) Any City department may suggest or assist in the production of programming for the channel, as resources permit. All programming must be consistent with the Policy Statement and is subject to the approval of the CAO. Departments should budget for costs associated with video production. Any programming prepared or provided by a Government Access Channel Operations Guidelines Page 2 City department, agency or contract producer may be modified or edited as appropriate for cablecasting. 5) Local political candidate debates may be cablecast provided that the debate is facilitated by an outside, non - partisan and impartial group or organization (League of Women Voters, for example). Debates must be approved in advance of the event by the CAO in accordance with provisions set forth in the Council Policies and Procedures as it relates to use of the Council Chamber. 6) Outside programming consistent with the Policy Statement may be cablecast on the channel. Outside programming must be acquired or sponsored by a City department or agency. All outside programming is subject to approval by the CAO. Outside programming shall not preempt any local programming. 7) Public Service Announcements (PSAs) will be solicited and produced for the channel. PSA topics shall be consistent with the Policy Statement and must be in a format acceptable as defined by the CAO. 8) Promotional announcements for events sponsored by a City department or agency are acceptable for cablecast. 9) Information for the community calendar shall be consistent with the Policy Statement and submitted through a City department or agency in accordance with guidelines established by the CAO. 10) Press conferences held for the purpose of providing information to the public but not for advocating a political position may be cablecast. 11) City sponsored events that have a cost and are open to the general public may be promoted on the channel. Content Restrictions 1) No obscene, indecent, libelous, slanderous, or illegal material are allowed on the channel. 2) No corporate or commercial logos are allowed on the channel. The names of sponsors of a video program or City event may only be shown in the end credits of a program. 3) Programming will contain nothing which is subject to copyright, except where the applicant demonstrates compliance with applicable laws. 4) Except as provided below, programs should contain no commercial matter. "Commercial matter" includes: (a) any advertising material designed to promote the sale of any products or services, including advertising by or on behalf of candidates for public office or relating to ballot measures; (b) any audio or visual reference to any business Government Access Channel Operations Guidelines Page 3 enterprises, service, or products for which any economic consideration was received by anyone in exchange for the display, announcement and/or reference to such business, enterprise, product or service; or (c) any material used or designed for use to solicit funds, support directly or indirectly any business or enterprise for commercial purposes, or for any political party, candidate for office or ballot measure. 5) Programs will not contain advertisement of or information concerning any lottery, gift enterprise, or similar scheme offering prizes drawn or awarded by means of any such lottery, gift enterprise or scheme. 6) Programming shall be removed from the channel if it contains untimely or incorrect information; and/or it does not meet technical standards requiring a clear audio and video signal. 7) The channel will not be used for the promotion of any elected official, candidate or ballot measure. Specific advertising messages on behalf or opposing any political candidate or measure will not be permitted. The channel is exempt from providing equal opportunities to a candidate for time incumbents spend on the channel when performing the routine duties of their position, including participation at regular and special sessions of the City Council, other public meetings and bonafide news events. 8) Requests for access to the government access channel for the purpose of advocating a personal viewpoint shall be denied. Programming Priorities Programming priorities for the channel are listed below. The CAO may make exceptions to these priorities on a case -by -case basis. 1) Emergency programming involving public safety or health. 2) Programming of or about meetings of City policy - making bodies. 3) Programming of City departments and their services. 4) Programming of state, federal and/or City boards, commissions and authorities and/or agencies that are publicly funded. 5) Programming produced by outside sources that is relevant to local government, which otherwise meets the Policy Statement and these guidelines. Programming Policies 1) Program Ownership. All programming produced by the City, its officers and agents, is property of the City. Programs produced by contract agents of the City become the property of the City and will not be sold or commercially distributed without the written permission of the City. Government Access Channel Operations Guidelines Page 4 2) Use of Equipment. Use of the City -owned video production equipment and facilities will be limited to the City's contract operator and/or City who have been adequately trained. City - owned equipment will not be used for personal use nor will it be rented or loaned to any firms, organizations, or agencies. 3) Editing. Official public meetings shall not be edited or be subject to editorial comment. Any programming prepared, originated or provided by a City Department may be modified or edited as appropriate by the CAO. Text generated messages may be edited to provide clarity and to maximize use of the character generator. Should human or mechanical error result in the cablecast of incorrect information over the channel, the City and any operations contractor shall not be liable for the inaccuracy of transmitted information. 4) Channel Operating Hours. The channel shall be available to operate 24 -hours per day, seven days per week if appropriate and as resources permit. 5) Scheduling. Scheduling shall be the responsibility of the CAO, and shall be consistent with the orderly development of diversified programming. Emergency messages affecting the health, safety and general welfare of City residents shall receive highest priority at all times over regularly scheduled programs. Scheduling or programming conflicts will be resolved by the CAO. 6) Program Playback Log. The operator shall keep and maintain a daily log of all programming cablecast on the channel for each playback day. Log information shall include program title, airtime, length of program or other information as deemed appropriate. Retention of the log shall be defined in the City's record retention schedule. 7) Back -up DVDs. The operator shall, whenever possible, make a duplicate DVD at the time of the original recording as a back -up. 8) Retention of DVDs. DVDs shall not be considered an official record of public meetings. DVDs are the property of the City of San Luis Obispo. DVDs shall be retained according to the City's record retention schedule and/or State law. At the end of the scheduled retention time, all DVDs will be destroyed. 9) Duplication of DVDs. Requests for copies of DVDs must be made in writing pursuant to the Public Records Act and are subject to a charge of $25.00 per DVD. 10) Proggamming Acquisition and Exchange. Cooperative arrangements and agreements with local educational programmers, broadcasters, cable companies and other production groups may be established for efficient operations and communications. Government Access Channel Operations Guidelines Page 5 City Council and Planning Commission Meeting Coverage 1) Regular City Council meetings will be cablecast gavel -to- gavel, excluding closed sessions. Special meetings will be cablecast gavel -to- gavel, whenever possible. 2) Regular Planning Commission meetings will be cablecast gavel -to- gavel. Special meetings will be cablecast gavel -to- gavel, whenever possible. 3) Public meeting coverage will not be edited or subject to editorial comment. Editing of technical difficulties is permitted. 4) Coverage will be focused on the officially recognized speaker or on any visual information that may be displayed as part of a presentation. 5) There shall be no reaction shots. 6) A City- operated character generated message may indicate the name of the officially recognized speaker, identification of the matter(s) being considered by the Council/Commission, and the date of the discussion. 7) Public meetings recorded for cablecast will be re- cablecast at least once, if possible. 8) Meetings not held in the Council Chamber require special equipment and additional staffing and may be videotaped for later cablecast with the prior approval of the CAO, as resources permit. 9) The Minutes shall remain the official record of the proceedings. City Advisory Bodies, Task Forces and other Public Hearings Coverage will be as resources permit and will generally conform to all of the provisions of live cablecasting of City Council meetings. Coverage may be live, recorded and aired at a later time. Coverage will be replayed if airtime is available. Public Meetings of Other Government Entities Public meetings held in the Council Chamber by other government entities may be cablecast live or recorded and aired at a later date if approved in advance of the event by the CAO. Said approval shall conform to the provisions set forth in the Council Policies & Procedures as it relates to the use of the Council Chamber. The City maintains the right to request compensation for costs incurred by the City for coverage of meetings held by other governmental entities. Coverage will be replayed if airtime is available. Government Access Channel Operations Guidelines Page 6 Use During Emergencies Government use of the channel during emergencies and disasters declared by the Mayor of the City of San Luis Obispo, , has absolute priority over other programming. During such emergencies or disasters, the channel shall be permitted to accept live, taped, charger- generated and audio information from other governmental or non - governmental entities when such announcements are deemed to provide important public information pertaining to the emergency or disaster or other conditions requiring protection of the public health, safety and welfare. Technical Standards All programs submitted or produced for cablecast must meet the following technical standards: 1) DVD format or mpeg2 format as specified by the operator. 2) Video and audio quality must be acceptable for cablecast transmission, as determined by the operator. Audio must be audible with minimal noise when amplified. 3) DVDs submitted for cablecast or produced by the City shall be clearly labeled with the following information: a) Title of program b) Name of producer c) Total running time (TRT) in minutes; seconds from fade -up to fade -out. d) Number of segments (if applicable) e) Multiple DVDs for a single program shall be clearly labeled (ex: Title, DVD # 1 of 3, DVD #2 of 3, etc.) 4) All DVDs (with the exception of public meeting coverage) must begin with a title slate. 5) DVDs should have no less than 15 seconds of black at the end. Mejia, Anthony From: Mejia, Anthony Sent: Monday, August 25,2014 1:52 PM To: Mejia, Anthony Cc: Kremke, Kate Subject: 2014 Mayoral and Council Candidate Forum Reminder that the 2014 Mayoral and Council Candidate Forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters is scheduled for September 25, 2014 at 5:30 -7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall. Representatives from the LWV want to meet with candidates at 5:00 p.m., so please show up a little early. Please RSVP by resaondina to this email. Thank you. Bcc: 2014 Mayoral and Council Candidates Anthony Mejia City Clerk cPI YF s CM OF �4 sflnLmsompo City Administration City Clerk's Office 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 -3249 E amejia @slocity.org T 805.781.7102 (Ark },, c Me) I. \ t 0"I �( V\,�,e I 8'L2�vLG Mejia, Anthon From: Mejia, Anthony Sent: Monday, September 22, 201412:37 PM To: Mejia, Anthony Cc: Goodwin, Heather; Sims, Shannon; Kremke, Kate Subject: Candidates Forum - Thursday, Sept. 25, 2014 Candidates: The League of Women Voter's wants to share the following information regarding Thursday night's Candidate Forum. Candidates will make opening and closing statements (1 minute each). Candidates will answer questions read aloud by the moderator. • The questions come from audience members through cards the LWV hands out, collects, and sorts. • The order of answering is rotated, so it is in different order each question. Candidates should arrive 30 minutes before the forum (so 5:00 p.m.), so the moderator can assign seating and give further instructions, if needed. Candidates may bring materials for voters, there will be a table available for such materials. Anthony Mejia City Clerk -0A d City Administration City Clerk's Office 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 -3249 E amejia @slocity.org T 805.781.7102 Mejia, Anthony From: Mejia, Anthony Sent: Wednesday, May 21, 20141:37 PM To: 'Brett Cross' Subject: RE: City Council Candidates Forum Ms. Cross, Thank you for contacting me regarding the hosting of a candidate forum in the Council Chambers. We have already scheduled a candidates forum that will be hosted by the League of Women Voters on September 25, 2014 at 5:30 p.m. Please let me know if you have any questions or need more information and I'd be happy to discuss with you. Sincerely, Anthony J. Mejia I City Clerk CILV Of S\I) WIS OBISPO 990 Palrn Street San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 tel 805.781.7102 From: Brett Cross fmailto :brettcrosscriyahoo.com] Sent: Wednesday, May 21, 2014 12:14 PM To: Mejia, Anthony Subject: City Council Candidates Forum Dear Sir: Residents for Quality Neighborhoods, which was established in 1990, holds a candidates forum for those running for San Luis Obispo Mayor and Council. Traditionally the Candidates Forum has been held in conjunction with RQN's annual dinner. However this year due to a change in the venue's policies the Candidates Forum will have to be held separately. There was discussion during our last board meeting to inquire about holding the Candidates Forum in the Council Chambers which would then allow the event to be televised on Channel 20. What policies and procedures are necessary to facilitate this type of event ?. Sincerely, Brett Cross Residents for Quality Neighborhoods, Treasurer /Candidates Forum Time Keeper.