CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Meeting Date: December 15, 2025
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCILMEMBERS
TITLE: ADOPT RESOLUTION NO.___-25 APPROVING USE OF PUBLIC,
EDUCATIONAL, AND GOVERNMENTAL (PEG) ACCESS FUND TO
PURCHASE BROADCASTING EQUIPMENT AND COMPENSATE
CONTRA COSTA TELEVISION FOR SHARED CAPITAL EXPENSES
SYNOPSIS
City staff is requesting use of Public, Educational, and Governmental (PEG) funds to cover capital expenses charged by Contra Costa County Television for broadcasting City programming on public access channels through local cable providers. In addition, the City’s control board for broadcasting meetings has failed and needs to be replaced. Staff is therefore requesting an appropriation of $19,276.87 from the City’s PEG Fund to cover the cost of the City’s MOU with Contra Costa County for broadcasting services and replacement of the failed control board.
DISCUSSION
Background
The Digital Infrastructure and Video Competition Act (DIVCA), enacted in California in 2006, established a statewide franchising system for video service providers and set standards for supporting community access television. Under DIVCA, cities are authorized to collect a PEG Access fee of up to 1% of a provider’s gross video service revenues to ensure continued support for local broadcasting and media access. These funds are used for capital expenditures and operations related to these local access channels, such as equipment, facilities, and content creation.
In November 2009, the City, in partnership with the cities of Clayton and Martinez, entered into a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Contra Costa County to establish a franchise agreement with cable television operators owned and managed by Comcast Corporation.
Under the terms of this agreement, Comcast was required to provide a designated number of community access channels for the County’s use in broadcasting government programming produced by each participating city and the County. Contra Costa County is responsible for providing services related to the operation and management of the shared government access channel, while the participating cities shared the compensation to the County for these services in accordance with the MOU.
After the initial five-year term of the MOU expired in 2014, the County did not seek to renew the agreement. Staffing issues at the County and other priorities were the main causes of the delay in renewing the agreements. They were able to acquire some ad-hoc equipment funding allowing them to scale their playback operation and remain self-sustaining.
Now, the County is seeking to renew the MOU with each of the three cities and is standardizing its agreements for all city Government Access channel management and other services Analysis
Under the terms of the new County MOU, the City’s annual service fee is $16,342.21, billed quarterly. Of this amount, $3,791.17 represents capital expenditures that are eligible for payment, using PEG funds in accordance with DIVCA regulations.
Additionally, the camera control board in the City Council Chambers has failed and requires replacement. The estimated cost for the replacement is $15,485.70, which is also an eligible expense for PEG funds.
The City’s current fiscal year budget does not include any appropriations for the use of PEG funds.
Staff is therefore requesting an appropriation of $19,276.87 from the City’s PEG Fund to cover costs associated with the City’s MOU with Contra Costa County for broadcasting services, as well as the replacement of the failed control board.
The Budget Committee reviewed this request at its meeting on November 5, 2025, and recommended the City Council approve the appropriation of PEG funds to cover both costs.
As part of the preparation for the Fiscal Years 2026/27–2027/28 Biennial Budget, staff will include a PEG Fund budget to support ongoing payments to the County for government broadcasting services and to address any future equipment or maintenance needs related to the City’s broadcasting operations.
FISCAL IMPACT
The fiscal impact would be the appropriation of $19,276.87 from the PEG Fund to cover $15,485.70 for the replacement of a failed control board in the Council Chambers and $3,791.17 to compensate the County for shared capital expenses. The Finance Division has confirmed that the current balance of the City’s PEG Fund is sufficient to cover these expenses.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public Contact was made through posting of the City Council agenda on the City’s official notice bulletin board, at the Pleasant Hill Senior Center, and at the Pleasant Hill Police Department. The agenda and staff report are posted on the City’s web page.
RECOMMENDED CITY COUNCIL ACTION
Adopt the proposed resolution authorizing the City Manager to appropriate $19,276.87 from the PEG Fund to purchase broadcasting equipment and compensate Contra Costa County Television for shared capital expenses.
ALTERNATIVES TO RECOMMENDED ACTION
The City Council could reject the proposed action and provide direction to staff.
ATTACHMENT(S)
Proposed Resolution
Contra Costa County Television Letter
ASG Proposal
Prepared by: Ling King, Chief Technology Officer
Approved by: Ethan Bindernagel, City Manager