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Cable Franchise Fees

Dear City of Racine Alderpersons,

I am in support of restoring the PEG channel along with the public
production facilities because it is a valuable asset for many
Community Members and allows the free exchange of thoughts and ideas.

I was looking through the Wisconsin State Statutes which concern Video
Service MUNICIPAL LAW 66.0420- the link is here:
https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/66.pdf#page=61
 />
Where I found this section - 66.0420 (3) 5. (e.) 2 (b):

"b. If a municipality specified in subd. 2. a. has granted any cable
franchise that is in effect immediately before January 9,2008,
the municipality shall, no later than 10 business days after receipt
of the copy, notify the applicant in writing of the number of PEG
channels for which incumbent cable operators are required to
provide channel capacity in the municipality, the amount and
type of monetary support for access facilities for PEG channels
required of incumbent cable operators as described insub.(7)
(em), and the percentage of revenues that incumbent cable operators
are required to pay the municipality as franchise fees".

In my humble opinion - this section implies that when City of Racine
created the PEG channel, it also specified a certain amount on cable
franchise fees to be solely used for that channel - and that for City
of Racine to end the PEG channel, without reducing the Franchise Fee
by the former specified amount - would mean that City of Racine is
operating in violation of State Statute.

Perhaps one of the Alders could ask City Attorney Scott Letteney for
an opinion of that State Statute and how much City of Racine
designated from the franchise fee to fund the PEG channel.

Everything was fine at CAR 25 until former Mayor John Dickert decided
he didn't like voices of dissent or criticism - like that of George
Meyers or Wayne Clingman. In what can be described at best as being a
questionably legal action - John and Mary Jerger Osterman gave it to
Friends of John, who didn't even actually want it - and then moved it
from Downtown Racine to the Village of Mount Pleasant (!!!) while Ron
Thomas and Mary Jerger Osterman cried about how they could attract
people to Downtown Racine; the channel fell into re-runs of syndicated
shows and dirty rap songs, was abandoned, and then taken up by the IT
Department.

Please make the right choice to restore CAR 25 with it's allocated
funding. I won't be there tonight - but HOT Government will - shining
the light on darkness.

Sincerely,

Tim & Cindy

Cable Franchise Fee

Click to enlarge

In case no one has looked at it - it can be found at Wisconsin State
Statutes MUNICIPAL LAW 66.0420

https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/66.pdf#page=61
 />
I took a screen shot of the pertinent section - which would indicate
that City of Racine would be in violation of the law if they took the
PEG channel down and did NOT reduce the Franchise Fee by the allocated
amount. An Open Records Request should be filed to find the pertinent
documents.

Will the City Council Vote for Transparent Government?

From HOT Government

UPDATE on the pending elimination of Cable Access Racine / CAR 25 (aka Belle TV.)  The Finance and Personnel Committee voted to recommend continued funding at last Monday's meeting.

NEXT STEP:  The committee will relay their recommendation to the City Council for a final vote, which should be:

            Tuesday, January 21, 2020

            at 7:00pm

            in room 205 at City Hall.  Be there to hear discussion and ask questions.

QUICK SUMMARY: 

Mason’s administration gave a lengthy breakdown of figures at the meeting, declaring that equipment replacement costs and personnel salaries would be too high.  (See attached city documents, with thanks to Ald. Carrie Glenn & Johnnie Cabb.) That information was refuted by one of the audience speakers, former Chairman of the Cable Commission Board in Racine, Chase Hendrix, who had been instrumental in CAR 25’s original set up.  Hendrix demonstrated that the city administrator’s figures were heavily overblown, and offered figures far below the city's cost estimates.  Hendrix generously volunteered his services to get the station running again.  With that information, and strong public support, the committee unanimously recommend funding.

The City Council nearly always follows committee recommendations and only heavy pressure from the Mason administration could seem to overturn that recommendation now.  Mason has shown a strong disregard for public opinion and might very well apply pressure to kill CAR 25/ Belle TV, which would hinder public oversight of their own government.

A VIDEO OF THE MEETING:

City Administrator, Jim Pale-dick, tries to blackout Car 25

From The Journal Times.com:

• Christina Lieffring

CAR25 could go back on air, funds would come from contingency fund and other budgets

RACINE — Restoration of Racine’s public-access channel is set to go to the City Council for a vote on Tuesday, though the cost is higher than the initial $30,000 estimate.

Last week, the Finance and Personnel Committee voted to send to the City Council, with a recommendation of approval, an amended proposal for purchasing equipment and budgeting the manpower needed to get BelleTV, also known as CAR25, back on the air.

Cost estimate

When BelleTV/CAR25 first went dark in early December, the estimated cost for replacement equipment alone was $30,000, which is the amount Alderman Sandy Weidner of the 6th District had included in her request to get the channel up and running again.

That request went before the Committee of the Whole, a subcommittee of the full City Council, which after a long discussion decided to send it to Finance and Personnel. The decision granted city staff more time to find answers to questions raised by the aldermen and put together a proposal that addressed concerns about the channel’s longevity.

The budgeted amount presented at last Monday’s meeting was $145,666.29. City Administrator Jim Palenick said the first estimate was “off the cuff,” whereas the new estimate was based on further research about what would be the best investment.

A few members of the public, as well as Weidner, expressed concern that the increased price tag for the equipment, which includes 4K technology, was going to deter aldermen from passing the resolution.

“We don’t need that; we just need a channel that operates,” said Weidner.

MIS Director Paul Ancona said that the intention was to recommend the best equipment so it could have a prolonged lifespan.

“What we’re looking at in terms of the equipment is going to state-of-the-art equipment so that we’re not facing this again in a few years,” Ancona said.

The proposal included budgeted items that could be reallocated for CAR25:

• $56,500 from the contingency fund. Assistant Finance Director Kathleen Fischer told the committee that around $100,000 would remain in the fund.
• $30,000 budgeted for the MIS department to replace switches. Ancona stated said his department would still be able to replace the oldest switches, they would just put off replacing some of them until 2021.
• $37,000 budgeted for additional body camera data storage.
• $22,500 for wireless access points for community centers.

Palenick emphasized that they chose line items that are “the lowest priority of the things that made it into the budget,” and could be delayed until 2021.

Need for access

Generally, members of the committee were receptive to reviving CAR25, and not just because several members of the public and aldermen attended the meeting to advocate for it.

“I’m obviously in support of trying to bring the service back, and I promise it’s not just because my grandma called me and threatened me,” said Alderman Jason Meekma of the 14th District. “It’s a powerful influencer nonetheless.”

Meekma asked Ancona if the staff budgeted to operate the channel would also be charged with enhancing the its programming, to which Ancona said yes. One point that has been raised in the discussion has been the decrease in programming for the channel, which used to air the Fourth Fest parade, the Holiday Parade through Downtown and the Racine Rotary Post Prom.

The committee decided to remove one line item — an upgrade of Sony cameras in the council chambers to 4K video, valued at $29,975— after learning that the new cameras were not a necessity for the new system and that the city had installed new cameras two years ago. Ancona stated that that particular expense could be undertaken further down the road.

The estimated cost going before the City Council would be $115,691.29. As of press time it was unknown how that change would affect the proposed reallocation of funds from the budget.

The next City Council meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 730 Washington Ave., Room 205.

From: https://journaltimes.com/news/local/car-could-go-back-on-air-funds-would-come-from/article_5c926992-caae-5820-89e6-e77886ccffd8.html

Pale-dick lies for Butterball.  Lying pigs run the city.  Where's the $800,000 the city receives annually to run Belle TV?  Did Butterball waste it hiring more swine assistants?  I wonder who wipes his ass for him.  Probably Pale-dick . . .

See: http://www.jtirregulars.com/2020/01/common-council-meeting.html and http://www.jtirregulars.com/2020/01/will-city-council-vote-for-transparent.html

Watch Talking Racine Episode 153 Learn who is silencing the truth

From Racine County Corruption:

ILLUMINATING

HIDDEN TRUTH

Watch Talking Racine 

Episode 153

 Learn who is silencing the truth

From: http://racinecountycorruption.blogspot.com/2019/12/illuminating-hidden-truth-watch-talking.html

"City Cable Commission Disappears! - YouTube"

From Racine Community Media:

"THE RACINE MAGIC SHOW, MAKING OFFICIAL COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES DISAPPEAR THROUGH LIES AND MANIPULATION."


 
"Racine Mayor John Dickert is completing his takeover of Racine’s Community Access channel by extinguishing an entire cable commission of eight members. After altering and influencing a city RFP bid for the Mayor’s friends, after violating city ordinances for the past 3 years, the city now aims to just change the laws.

"On Tuesday night the Committee Of The Whole will take up the communication of changing all the city laws protecting residents and their rights regarding the community access tv station.

"After violating the city’s own laws over the past couple years, The City Of Racine will now attempt to just change the laws and cover up the illegal activity that took place surrounding the City Of Racine’s public access tv channel and alleged bid rigging and collusion. 

"City Administrator Tom Friedel was caught lying to the Common Council and the community when asked about the City Cable Commission in April of 2015 he said, 'We’ve received all but one resignation' To date the city has received only two resignation letters leaving six active members. Why would the city not appoint replacements? Why would the city eliminate the residents and community at large?"

Read more:  http://racinecommunitymedia.tumblr.com/post/140233433773/city-cable-commission-disappears-youtube


Dirty, lying, cock-smokers!  Will the rule of law and order ever return to Racine?  Not when you have corrupt maggots working in City Hall.

"City of Racine Official Admits to Illegal Cable Commission Activity!"

From Racine Community Media:



"Cable commissioner Larry Gregg admits to the Journal Times he has been serving illegally on the cable commission since December of 2013!!!

"The bigger question is, why does Journal Times reporter Cara Spoto choose not to report this incredible story? After all, she was there the entire meeting and covering the events, why no story or report of the illegal activity?"

Read more:  http://racinecommunitymedia.tumblr.com/post/97947698843/city-of-racine-official-admits-to-illegal-cable

"City Of Racine Spies On Residents & City Officals Without Consent!"

From Racine Community Media:




"The City of Racine has been caught secretly taping the residents and alder-persons without their knowledge during official City Committee and City Board Meetings. Typically Racine Common Council and Committee of the Whole Meetings are taped for broadcast, these specific meetings were never broadcast and never shown publicly!"

Read more: http://racinecommunitymedia.tumblr.com/post/97295237228/update-update-update-update-update-update

"Skies Fall informs Racine Cable Commission that it resigns"

From Racine Community Media:

"Racine- Skies Fall informs Racine Cable Commission that it resigns from future contracts with the city, citing the current political climate, lack of success with the channel and being advised by friends and business leaders to resign from the contract.

"The contract Skies Fall had with the city of Racine expired on March 31st, 2014 and was a one year contract with no clause of 30 days or 60 days included within the contract, (despite the claims of City Administrator Tom Friedel that there is a 60 day clause for which to renew, there is not a clause in their contract)

"Follow this link to view the full official city contract:

http://issuu.com/communicatornews/docs/skies_falls_contract_with_city

http://journaltimes.com/news/local/belletv-contract-up-for-discussion/article_7d7fce2c-ccf6-11e3-8522-001a4bcf887a.html

http://journaltimes.com/news/local/fuzzy-reception-a-year-after-getting-city-contract-belle-tv/article_77bc8762-a90d-11e3-a10f-001a4bcf887a.html

Read more: http://racinecommunitymedia.tumblr.com/post/84048762136/racine-skies-fall-informs-racine-cable-commission


The Journal Times posted online two important stories on this subject this evening:

"Dickert: City should return to operating BelleTV" - http://journaltimes.com/news/local/dickert-city-should-return-to-operating-belletv/article_f622c84a-d24e-11e3-ba5e-0019bb2963f4.html

"Hearing set on BelleTV complaint" - http://journaltimes.com/news/local/hearing-set-on-belletv-complaint/article_1a335ce6-d276-11e3-888a-001a4bcf887a.html

This timing guarantees that the stories will appear in the Saturday print paper.  Nobody reads the Saturday paper.  This is an old journalistic trick to muffle the noise a headline would normally make.

Racine.TV

"Racine.TV" is supposedly run by a member of the Cable Commission. It features videos like this one:



Racine.TV is now in the sidebar list of Local Sites.

What was Monte Osterman, Dickert's buddy, doing at Mound Cemetery hours after the damage was discovered? Monte is often a recipient of lying John's largesse. He and his wife, Mary, are neck deep in the corruption in Racine. Who gets all the contracts for marble in city hall's bathrooms? What marble firm do you think will get the contract to repair these headstones? Will it be Osterman Granite & Marble, again? Do ducks fly?

In the video, Monte marvels at how the vandals accomplished what they did. He talks about how diffcult it would be for amateurs to do this. Hmm, makes one wonder if professionals were involved. I wonder what firm would stand to profit from the desecration of Mounds' monuments?

Over and over, this is where the money goes: from taxpayers' pockets to the pockets of lying John's pals. They don't even try to hide it anymore. They just do it and arm themselves when we complain.

Cable Commission Corruption

Racine Community Media has put up numerous posts concerning Racine Cable Commission corruption:

http://racinecommunitymedia.tumblr.com/post/78436399224/breaking-news-city-of-racine-to-ask-caledonia

http://racinecommunitymedia.tumblr.com/post/78585821383/breaking-news-local-group-files-formal-complaint

http://racinecommunitymedia.tumblr.com/post/78856238371/city-of-racine-pushes-formal-ethics-complaint-of

http://racinecommunitymedia.tumblr.com/post/79237830366/what-is-rico-and-what-will-it-mean-for-city-of

http://racinecommunitymedia.tumblr.com/post/79265282822/racine-here-city-official-mary-osterman-who-is

http://racinecommunitymedia.tumblr.com/post/79360572520/racine-city-of-racine-residents-taxpayers-to

http://racinecommunitymedia.tumblr.com/post/79433976852/taking-a-closer-look-into-the-city-of-racine-cable

http://racinecommunitymedia.tumblr.com/post/79438108887/potential-scheme-manipulation-of-bids-in-a

http://racinecommunitymedia.tumblr.com/post/79623671431/in-this-video-clip-racine-alderman-jim-kaplan

http://racinecommunitymedia.tumblr.com/

"Was The 'Fix' In For Skies Fall Media Group and Jerry Bloom?"

From Racine Exposed:

"In the last post, it was revealed that Jerry, or Gerry Bloom, was a Contributor and Fundraiser to the John Dickert campaign for mayor. In addition, he just so happens to control a warehouse in Mt. Pleasant that Skies Fall Media Group, with the approval of Racine’s Cable Commission, is moving Racine’s cable access TV station to. Racine Exposed has just obtained a copy of the contract between The City of Racine and Skies Fall Media Group and from the contract, it would appear that the 'fix' is in and that John Dickert campaign contributor and fundraiser, Jerry Bloom, knew in advance that he was set to be paid rent once the move to his warehouse was made. Further, it would appear that the amount of rent may not even need oversight or approval by the Common Council, while the residents and taxpayers of Racine wouldn’t be any the wiser."

Read more: http://racineexposed.wordpress.com/2014/03/14/was-the-fix-in-for-skies-fall-media-group-and-jerry-bloom/

"Tools Or Fools? The Tragic Irony Of Racine’s Cable Commission"

From Racine Exposed:

http://racineexposed.wordpress.com/2014/03/11/tools-or-fools-the-tragic-irony-of-racines-cable-commission/