Sacramento Cable Commission Budget Hearing and Public Testimony - September 17, 2025

Good afternoon, everybody.

Um I am calling to order the meeting of the Sacramento Metropolitan Cable Television Commission on September 17th, uh at 2 35 p.m.

Um Madam Clerk, could you please call the roll?

Absolutely.

Member Munoz?

Here.

Member Riley?

Here.

Member McCarthy Almstead?

Here.

Member Hedges?

Here.

Member Sloan?

Here.

Member Middleton?

Here.

Grunison?

Here.

Sandu?

Here.

Gatewood.

Here.

Gull.

Here.

Chair Brown?

Here.

Hackett Little.

Here.

And with those members present, we do have a quorum.

Thank you so much.

Now we'll proceed to the Pledge of Allegiance.

Director Riley, do you mind leading us?

Everybody can see you.

Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic of ways to stands.

One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and just for our thank you so much.

Madam Clerk, could you please read the metro replay statement and our meeting announcement?

Yes.gov and will replay Saturday, September 20th at 3 p.m.

on Metro Cable on Channel 14.

This meeting can also be viewed at YouTube.com, Metro Cable 14.

The meeting announcement reads the commission fosters public engagement during the meeting and encourages public participation, civility, and the use of courteous language.

To make a to make a comment in person, please fill out a speaker request form and hand it to the clerk staff.

The chairperson will open the public comments for each agenda off agenda item and direct the clerk to call the name of each speaker.

When the clerk calls your name, please come to the podium and make your comment.

You may send written comments by email to Board Clerk at Zach County.gov.

Your comment will be routed to the board and filed in the record.

And that completes the statement.

Thank you so much.

Before we move into item one, I have a minor change to the agenda and a quick reminder.

For anybody here who is uh here to speak on the budget item, please make sure that you are filled out for item five uh for public comment to make sure that we can uh make sure you are on the list uh and heard for the appropriate item.

Uh and number two, um, we are going to be taking up items five and six uh the general fund and the peg fee budget together, um, as they are by and large uh very highly related, and we'll be considering them as a single item.

Um and moving into item one, public comments relating to matters not on the posted agenda.

Uh Madam Clark, do we have any comments?

Yes, we have seven public comments.

Great.

We're gonna have names pop up on the screen over there.

And as a reminder, this is for items that are not on our posted agenda.

So if you are speaking on the budget item, we'll ask you to uh uh postpone your time uh until item five.

So first we have uh see, Sonny Lee.

Hi, good afternoon, Commissioner, and thank you for the opportunity to speak on behalf of SECC.

Excuse me.

My name is Sunny Lee.

I'm a parent and a community member and a supporter of Sacramento Educational Cable Consortium.

Um I've seen the first hand, the real difference that SECC makes for students, schools, and the community.

Uh Ms.

Lee, I'm incredibly sorry to interrupt, but it sounds like this is pertinent to the advocacy around the budget item.

Uh and so if you don't mind, this is for items that are not on our agenda anywhere.

And so if it's okay with you, we can just move your name over to item five.

Thank you so much.

Um next we have uh Joanna Lee.

Same.

Uh and Tony?

Same.

Uh all three.

Uh move to item five, please.

Uh Karen Albert.

Same.

Same.

Uh Jose S.

Same.

Same.

Uh Neveo Lemma.

Same.

And Peter Skabitsky.

Thank you.

On behalf of SEC and the other PEG licensee organizations, I wish to express a deep concern regarding the board's lack of transparent communication when it comes to notifying PEG members of the reduction in funding.

These decisions were made without prior notification.

Mr.

Skowitzi, this sounds like it's relating to item five and six.

This is about the communication process that this board did not take into account when making decisions.

Okay, well, I'll just proceed.

The decision was made without prior notification, discussion, or input from our staff or the board or educational communities we serve.

The lack of collaboration, transparency, and understanding demonstrated by this body undermines the spirit of partnership and historical guided shared mission to serve the public through educational and government programming.

We respectfully request that the commission pause any budgetary action further cuts and take immediate steps to improve transparency and reestablish collaborative approach moving forward.

Specifically, we are asking for the removal of the budget item from today's agenda, a formal opportunity to discuss rational uh rationale behind the data and the budget decisions, a commitment to a timely and inclusive communication process regarding future funding changes, and a joint session and public workshop to explore suitable and sustainable models for PEG support in the future.

We remain committed to serving our communities and believe that with open dialogue and mutual respect, we can navigate these challenges together.

Thank you.

And that concludes our public comment.

Moving into item two, um, we will uh receive and file the other post employment benefits actuarial valuation and governmental accounting standards board 75 report for the fiscal year ending June 30th of 2025.

Um, do we have a presentation for this item?

We do not, but we do not either make it part of the executive director or it might come up as part of the budget discussion.

Understood.

Is there any public comment on this item?

We have received none.

Okay.

Uh is there uh any discussion from the commission?

Or a motion to move the consent agenda.

So moved.

Moved by uh Vice Chair Gatewin.

We have a second by member Middleton.

Um any further discussion.

All right, uh, hearing none, uh, let's call the vote on the consent agenda.

And that item passes with all members voting yes.

Thank you so much, madam clerk.

Um, moving into item three, uh, which is receiving and filing updates from the Sacramento Metropolitan Cable Television Commission Community Grant Program recipients.

Um, and I believe we do have uh presentations for this one.

Troy, that's you.

Hi.

Hi.

First of all, I want to thank Hello.

First of all, I want to thank the ward so much for allowing us to have this grant.

You have no idea how grateful I am for this and how much this has improved my show.

I also want to thank Access Sacramento for allowing us to use their studio to film Puppetville News.

Um, because um, because without Access Sacramento, I don't think Puppetville News would be the quality it is as we speak.

Um and for those that don't know me, I am Troy Lee.

I am the director of Puppetville News and a team leader of Share Film's YouTube channel.

I want to discuss on how the grant has helped improve my um show.

So one of the first things the grant has done to improve my show is progression, because ever since I got the grant, more people have been wanting to participate in Puppetville News and Public Access TV.

And because of that, um, this has made production a lot more efficient.

Another one would be quality because of the new bodies we got to participate in Puppetville News.

These people that are participating in Publicville News are not just diverse, but they are multi-talented.

Um which makes production qual probably quality improved, sorry.

And um, another one would be authenticity.

That was a big one for me.

Because as we speak, I am using the grant money to create a new theme song, an intro for Puppetville News.

And because our current theme song is AI generated, and the theme song is being composed by um Neil Nyar, who has a world record being able to play 135 different musical instruments.

So that being said, I want to pass the mic over to my assistant director and writer, Jessica Lazette.

Hello, thank you so much again for the opportunity to allow Puppetville News to be a part of this grant.

And not only for the production has the grant improved the production, but it has also made the casting crew experience much better as well.

For we are able to provide gas cards to those who are traveling from far distances, such such as Angels Camp to drive an hour and a half to the studios of Axis Sacramento, just to make our passion possible with Puppetville News.

And it's also allowed us to provide catering so that those people that are coming from far away and from all over the place, we don't have to worry about hey, what are we gonna eat?

Oh my gosh.

Now it's more out of cost pocket for me, right?

So this has made the experience for everybody to just hit the ground running as soon as we get there so we can make the production as smooth as possible.

So that being said, I would like to play a 30-second video of um Puppetville News episode three, and it is a small clip.

So yeah, I'm sure you'll find some pajamas outfit.

All right, next we have a story about who I'm a wizard!

What are you doing?

You scared the platoon is out of me.

I'm looking for the memo.

It's gotta be here somewhere.

Maybe you printed it out and you left it up here.

What a wizard.

It's not here.

Yeah, it was just an it was just an expression.

Nice.

Um you guys can watch the full episode on the link provided by Axis Sacramento.

Thank you so much for it.

With that, um, I just wanted to just remind everyone what the vision statement is for Puppetville News.

It is to create educational, family-friendly entertainment that can blend puppeteering and the creativity and imagination without compromise.

So we want to allow um, we're thankful that we can continue to through this first season of Puppetville News.

Thank you.

And thank you again for um allowing us to be a part of the grant program.

And I hope that down in the future um we can get an even bigger grant to help improve the quality of the show and possibly get some more higher quality puppets and um possibly keep promoting this children's show in Access Sacramento.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you both so much.

Um, do we have any questions from the commission for our uh our presenters before we let them step away?

What was the name of the wizard?

It was the uh weather wizard, the weather wizard, of course, clearly.

Excellent job.

Thank you both so much.

Thank you.

Do we have any other presentation, Sean?

Antonio, he is uh scholarship recipient out of uh one of the high schools, and he got a photography scholarship.

Excellent.

Yeah, please come on up.

I'm just using my phone for these notes right here.

Go for it.

Okay.

So my name is Antonio Castellanos.

I'm from Vista Delago High School, and I used this grant money to buy my first camera.

It was a Canon EOS R50, a Meryless vlogging camera.

I had used cameras before in my photography for class, but I never owned one.

Um besides my Polaroid or my phone's horrible camera.

But this was my very first camera, and it really didn't mean a lot to me.

Can you show the pictures?

So this is this is one of the photos I took uh during one of my school's um summer photography programs.

Um it did get cut short because my teacher got sick, but it was it was an incredibly fun experience for me.

Um next one.

Oh, thank you.

Wow.

Um this one was one I wasn't required to take.

This one was for myself for vacation.

Um but this one uh really does mean a lot to me because even though it wasn't required, it's it was because I took it because it was photography as one of my passions.

And it's really not just like a career for me, but it's a passion, and I think that passion and career like really go hand in hand.

And because I have this passion for photography, I'm able to turn it into a career in like video or photography.

And this is like really helps like me explore my personal artistic vision and help jumpstart my journey into a creative career.

And then this photo was taken during a CT programming event.

Um, this my photography teacher um asked me to take the photos for the event, and it was a completely different experience, like just a whole field, whole different feel to take photos for an event as opposed to like nature photography or just any other kind of photography.

It was great.

Yeah.

And for that, I want to thank the cable commission for granting me the ability to do this.

It really does mean a lot.

Thank you.

Thank you so much, Antonio.

Is there any anything from the commission for uh for Antonio before we let him go?

Thank you so much for coming.

Thank you.

And I want that picture of YK too.

Um Mr.

Executive Director, anything else?

There's a final from uh just a letter that I can summarize from one of the scholarship recipients.

Please do.

I'll read that.

Uh my name is Nathaya P.

and I'm a junior in a local high school.

Um she used the money to take content creation classes.

Um she earned the Adobe content creator professional certificate, completing four courses, design fundamentals, social media content and strategy, multimedia content creation, and generative AI content.

And she goes on to say, beyond the technical lessons, this experience boosted my confidence and gave me a clearer, clearer sense of how my creativity can grow into future academic and career paths.

And in closing, she says, thank you once again for the support and the amazing opportunity.

Sincerely, Nathaya P.

Oh, thank you so much, Sean.

Um and uh Madam Clerk, do we have any public comment on this item?

Yes, we have received one.

Alright, Bunny S.

You are up.

Um, ladies and gentlemen of Sacramento County.

Um feedback?

Sorry about that.

Um, I'm Bunny Stewart, I'm executive producer for Sactown Media Baths, and you guys gave us a grant this last year.

And um, I just wanted to say from the depths of our heart, thank you very much.

You have continued to allow us to bring diversified voices to the public of people that might not get highlighted normally uh in film and local um TV.

So I just wanted to say thank you so much.

And we film out of the Access Sacramento um studios, and we film there um all the time.

And so I would just like to say thank you to Access Sacramento for giving us the platform to bring all of these local diverse um filmmakers and talent in the media community uh forth and and giving them the recognition.

That's all.

Thank you so much for your time and thank you again for the grant.

Thank you.

So uh that concludes item three.

Um we are next going to go into closed session for item uh is it four or five?

It appears to be four four.

It's item four.

We're going into closed session for item four.

Um and so we're gonna take a brief recess to take care of that.

Um as a reminder to the audience uh the first item when we are back from closed session will be, of course, the budget, and so please make sure your comment slips are in.

I don't want to, I don't want anybody to get accidentally missed because of paperwork.

So please make sure you get them in.

Check it for item five, um, and we will hear from you right when we're back from closed session, and we'll adjourn to closed session now.

Chair, just to confirm we don't have public comment for the closed session item.

Oh, I forgot that happened.

Thank you, Josh.

We have not received any.

And we have not received any.

Thank you so much, Danielle and Josh.

Uh we'll adjourn to closed session.

All right.

Looks like everybody is back in place.

And uh let's see, where is our legal counsel?

Has Josh made it out yet?

He's gone.

He's on his way.

So we are gonna have to hold tight for Josh to make sure that we have a closed session report.

Thank you.

Um Madam Clerk, do we have a quorum?

We do.

Awesome.

Thank you so much.

Uh Josh, uh legal counsel, uh, do we have anything to report from closed session?

Um thanks, Chair.

We have no reportable action.

Thank you.

Um, and so we are going to move on to our next agenda item, which is item five, uh, which is being heard jointly with item six, that is to approve the fiscal year 2025-26 general fund final budget to include the following resolutions, attachments, and exhibits.

Do I have to read all of them?

No.

Uh, the answer is no.

Fantastic.

Uh, and item six, which is approving the fiscal year 2025-26 public education government fee fund final budget with the associated resolutions, attachments, and exhibits.

Um, and I will turn it over to our executive director, Sean Ala, for uh report out.

Uh your mic's not on.

Hold on, I got you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um ad hoc came up with some recommendations, which I've done my best to operationalize.

It's in the resolution, but the PowerPoint summarizes those points.

Um I know there will be a lot of discussion on it, so I'll move through the general fund and the peg.

At the end, we'll need two votes if we that's where we land.

Um, because I have one conflict on the general fund because it involves some of the scholarship at grants, and I have one conflict on peg because of a transfer between um organizations.

Okay, so this was the initial discussion from ad hoc, keep metro 14 operational using diminishing future funding.

Uh maximize cash reserves and general fund distribution.

Um, that's the per capita general fund distribution, uh reduced channel licensee uh general fund and peg funding by 25% per quarter, and carry commission vacancies to reduce administrative costs.

Um initially I had done a 10, 15, and 20% reduction on what we think projected revenue will be with regards to the Comcast 5% tax, and a little bit from I think uh ATT Direct, I think is also another funding source.

Um, but that number has come in already, and it came in at 14.9%.

So I modified the projection to reflect 15, 20, and 25%.

Um this is a 40-year chart, it's actually 42 years.

I'm calling it the 40-year chart of what has occurred with the commission's business since its inception.

Um the top blue line is revenue, the bottom orange line is the uh funding for the channel licensees, and the green line was the distribution of the per capita general fund.

There's a little asterisk there because it legged up at the end, but that's because I took money out of cash to meet the projection from your interim director.

He predicted 6.3.

It really would have come in at 5.8.

I made you whole with a cash distribution.

Any questions about this?

Because there's a lot of data here.

The main thing is that right shoulder is artificial because it related to an audit that occurred actually before the peak.

And if you look right there, that's actually when you peaked.

So you peaked in 1617, and revenue has been declining rapidly for about eight budget cycles.

Okay.

Next screen.

Um, this occurred before I got here.

I did have the privilege of signing off on these.

This is a lot of work from Kristen, Josh, and Jillian when she was still with us.

Um we had four or five cable casting agreements.

Those are the black dots.

The green are new cable casting agreements, those are individual entities that are paying us to cover their meetings.

It will not generate a lot of money, but at this point in time, every dollar counts, and I'm happy to have these entities under contract that Metro 14 covers their meetings, puts them on the Metro channel.

I think it adds value to the Metro channel.

It shows the diversity of meetings that we cover.

Okay, here's my revised um org chart.

For those of you that don't know, Gillian Meyer uh took a she's my ASO3, she took a position with the clerk's office.

We wish her well.

My loss is their gain.

Um, but that has created some vacancies for me.

The vacancies are on the bottom.

What I'm asking the commission to do today is to fund a uh unfunded ASO2 position.

I plan on putting Mary Ann Clito in there, and then I've got a ASSC, so administrative service specialist confidential that is vacant, and I want to move my senior office assistant into that position.

We think we can carry the ASO3 vacancy with Kristen and myself kind of stepping up to help with the administrative function.

Um I'm also asking you to add a records management coordinator, it's a uh hourly position, minimal benefits.

I think sick time and workers' comp, no retirement, no other benefit.

Um I have the individual identified, it's Merrill Emilio.

She's a retired annuit out of the county.

She's done this project for county departments before.

I have literally thousands and thousands of pages of paper documents, and I need to apply the commission's retention policy to those documents.

What can be shredded, what needs to be retained at retained, scan, store.

Fortunately, the naming convention and the policy for shredding was already voted on previously by this commission.

So that's a big step.

I can now start operationalizing that, and I'm asking you to add this position.

I had intended to add it either as a temp or as a contract employee, but state law kind of just blocked me on those issues.

Okay, so when you vote, that's that's what I'm requesting.

Um, this is on the left-hand side of the channel licensees.

The column to the right of that is what was voted on for preliminary.

If you look at the quarterly cuts, so each quarter, and just I'll remind you that I made it quarterly because I didn't have cash on hand to do a six-month distribution to the channel licensees.

So we made it quarterly.

They have received the first green column column already.

That is a hundred percent of the first quarter.

The proposal would be a 75% of a quarter of the 100% quarter for the second quarter, 50% of 100% quarter for the third, and then 25% of 100% quarter for the fourth.

And you can see the reduction numbers on the right.

It brings the total from 1844 292 down to 1152 682.

Any questions about any of that?

Um, not asking for a vote this moment because I know there's gonna be a lot of discussion and public comment on it, but this is essentially what you would be voting on.

Uh Metro 14 and my admin team, about 3323606.

There's a note here on the addition to the reserves.

It was previously voted on in a past fiscal year.

The money didn't get moved, so for bureaucratic reasons, I need the vote again to be able to move the money into reserve.

Um, here's the channel licensees.

You saw that breakdown on the last screen, and then just as a reminder, the recommendation is the member agencies uh do away with the general fund per capita distribution.

Last year that was 6.3 million dollars.

The proposal is this year it goes to zero.

All right, I'm gonna move into PEG because it it would have normally been one vote.

Um, and it it it neatly meshes with the general fund discussion.

Here's what I project the um one percent peg tax would look like over three budget cycles.

Um again, best case scenario was around 1.568.

Um this next screen shows the reduction to the channel licensees.

Preliminary was 992 592 proposal is 620 369.

If you actually operationalize the 7550 and 25% cut, it reduces what preliminary on both general fund and the peg, it reduces preliminary by 37.5% down to 62.5% that was voted on at preliminary.

Um okay.

So when we get to a vote, this is what it looks like.

My Metro team uses about 472,000 in peg, the channel licensees about 620 on the reduced schedule.

Um the member agencies, so all of your control rooms is 2,428 470.

I have about 2 million in 2.2 million in reserve right now.

If you take the 1.5 here and add it to my 2.2, you get to 3.7-ish.

Your total projects that are on trying to be onboarded right now are 3.5.

You ex you basically expend all of your PEG reserves and you're at zero going forward for PEG money, and then you're dependent on that future projection.

So potentially in the 26-27 year, it could be 1.3 million, and that's all you have for your PEG projects.

So this is a bit of a microcosm of what's going on with the general fund budget.

Um these accounts are probably gonna zero out this year, and I think part of the discussion is what then happens to the general fund because general fund dollars are more flexible than PEG dollars, and I think the two conversations come together at some point.

Um, and then there would be the vote screen.

I won't went too far.

Then there would be the potential vote.

Any questions about anything?

I know it's a lot of data.

I try not to be overly just repeating what I did at preliminary, but this is an update based on what ad hoc asked for.

So um I'm actually gonna request that my fellow commissioners hold questions until after after public comment, um, to make sure that we have a chance to listen to folks first.

Great, thank you.

Thank you so much, Sean.

Um, and as we are uh moving into the public comment portion, um I want to uh strongly recommend to to my fellow commissioners that we we listen carefully and and pay attention to this conversation because it is uh uh the due to the public that we uh need to make sure we're preserving here.

Um and to our folks, please.

Uh there is a three-minute time limit for public comment per individual.

Please be respectful of the next person's time.

Um, there will be a large clock displayed somewhere.

Correct, madam clerk.

Um, and then uh there will be a list of names on these screens.

Uh, and if you see your name coming up on the list, be ready to come up to the podium.

Uh, and so with that, um, we'll go ahead and kick public comment off uh with our first speaker, um uh Zanthi Soriano.

Thank you very much, Chair.

Good afternoon, commissioners.

My name is Santi Soriano, and I represent the Sacramento County Office of Education as the executive director for communications.

I understand taking budget decisions are very difficult, so and I'm sure you will be making the best decision possible.

But I'd like to use my time to um in my comment time to recognize the decades of service provided by the Sacramento Educational Cable Consortium and to underscore how much our schools throughout the county and students benefit from its work, particularly as conversations about budgets move forward.

For more than 40 years, the Sacramento Education Cable Consortium or the SECC has been a trusted partner to SCOE and our districts.

I was also the former director of communications for the Elk Grove Unified School District, and I know that the work that they provided for us then was also very valuable.

But for our districts, they ensure that education in Sacramento has a strong and visible voice.

So the impact on students and schools is clear.

The SECC has been an instrument, has been instrumental in connecting and serving more than 250,000 students across Sacramento County through its best network.

And that broadband infrastructure is a crown jewel, providing fast, equitable access, unmatched anywhere else in the nation.

And I know this from having worked in Elk Grove Unified as well as having worked in conjunction with SCOE, especially during disasters.

The SEC also equips students with career ready skills through its video production labs and celebrates their creativity through the SIBA Awards, and these are the SIVA labs that I have known many teachers and many students who have benefited from those programs.

Many students have gone on to successful careers in media and technology because of the foundation they received here.

Beyond classrooms, the SECC brings out our community together by filming things like the academic decathlon, which brings together hundreds of students and they showcase their academic skills, things that you know aren't always seen when we have sports events and whatnot.

We have a chance to actually showcase our academic endeavors.

National History Day is also another one that is not only just here in Sacramento County, but it's also for the state and at the local level.

We also have Poetry Out Loud and Arts Program, Teachers of the Year, Graduation, and other events.

So these moments are shared widely with families and the community thanks to the SEC's expertise in working with students, staff, and schools.

So our students and schools would be at a profound loss should these programs and services cease.

These are programs, infrastructure, opportunities, and school-based expertise that simply cannot be duplicated by another entity.

For four decades, the SEC has amplified all of these student voices and all of our schools' voices.

Thank you.

All right, we have Sunny Lee followed by Joanna and Tony.

I also might recommend maybe lining up in the center might be easy to make sure we have quick throughput, but up to y'all.

Sunny, the floor is yours.

Hi, thank you for the opportunity to speak on behalf of SECC.

My name is Sunny Lee.

I'm a parent and a community member and a supporter of SECC.

I have seen firsthand the real difference that SCCC makes for our students and schools and our community.

So I'm here to ask not to take that away.

In the world in the modern world that's filled with online contents, some misleading and some harmful, that SCCC provides a safe space where students learn practical skills, and they can use today, and most importantly, for in the in the future.

It exists in a category of its own.

And it's something is something that our students and schools that they need.

I've seen the big impact through my daughter and many other students.

These programs teach media literacy collaboration and creativity and problem solving every year at the student educational video awards.

Students, families, and teachers they gather to celebrate their work.

And the pride and confidence is incredible.

My daughter learned to produce the real news and about her school and the community.

Through hands-on work with dedicated teachers and collaborated with SCCC.

She learned to communicate clearly, connect with others, and be a positive influence.

These are practical skills and how to collaborate, lead projects, and contribute meaningfully to the community.

And they prepare students for schools, careers, and good civic life in the future.

If funding is cut, we're not just losing equipment and trainings and media and channels.

Um we're removing opportunities.

Opportunities that teach real 21st century skills and a pathway to strengthen our community.

So please delay this vote or reject this budget cut and just have SCCC continue to equip our students and our community and with the skills and confidence and experience they need for the future.

Thank you for your time and supporting our students in schools.

Thank you, Sunny.

Joanna is up, followed by Tony and Karen.

Good afternoon, commissioners.

My name is Joanna Lee, and I'm currently in ninth grade.

I was first introduced to media through the Student Educational Video Words Program, or SIVA, in sixth grade while attending Mary Hill Midtown.

SIVA, which is supported by the Sacramento Educational Cable Consortium, or SECC, gave me a unique opportunity to explore media, creativity, and storytelling.

At first, I didn't know much about video and didn't think it was something that I would enjoy.

But SECC gave me the opportunity to try it, and it opened my eyes to how much I love creating videos and telling stories.

Through SIFA, I got to make videos that showcase things that I was passionate about or wanted others to learn more.

It wasn't just about learning how to use a camera or learning different video angles, but was about communication, planning, and leadership.

That experience gave me confidence and taught me valuable real world skills like creativity, communication, and responsibility.

Over time, I grew more passionate, and I even had the opportunity to serve as a student host for the SIVA Awards for two years.

That experience helped me develop public speaking and leadership skills, and it opened my mind to a future I had never considered before.

And now I plan to continue pursuing media through high school and even possibly in college, because it's become something I truly love and enjoy.

If SECC is defunded, students won't just lose access to equipment.

They'll lose a space to grow, a place to be creative, to be nurtured, and to be heard.

Not every student connects with traditional classes, but SECC programs like Siva give students a chance to shine in their own way.

Without SECC, these programs will disappear, and so will those chances.

Defunding SECC isn't just a budget cut, but is a loss of opportunity, growth, and passion for students like me.

Please keep funding SECC so that future students can discover their voice, just like I did.

Thank you.

Thank you, Joanna.

Thank you, Joanna.

Next I have Tony, followed by Karen and Jose.

Good afternoon, Commissioners.

SECC gave to literally many thousands of children a vehicle for communication and expression.

For many kids, SEC was literally the only medium to do this.

Why is this important?

At the very core of each and every one of us is a need to communicate and share our story.

If you think about it, communicating and sharing parts of us is a purest form of love.

Cutting this program would do serious and irreparable damage to our kids.

You'd be getting rid of an entire category of or industry.

There's very little to no medium like this out there for our kids.

Budget and finances.

Why spend or divert so much money to band-aids?

Let's start at the beginning with the kids in our community and not let the problems even start.

I saw thousands of kids every single year pumped and beyond excited for a large part of each year as they anticipated, focused, and diligently worked on what they would create and say to our community and in some cases the world.

Focus, hard work, purpose, ability to create product.

I can't say how important these things are.

And that's what SCC literally enabled the very countless number of children in our community to do every single year.

I would much rather have these kids work on these things than finding other less ideal things to do.

And I don't think you want me to mention some of those things here.

If you do things right from the start, there is much less to no need for costly band-aids later.

A stitch in time saves nine.

Do kids who communicate it and share their thoughts with their community and became part of it, become happier and healthier adults who end up needing less assistance later and free up the budget.

Absolutely.

The cost you save later far exceeds the much smaller cost today.

Thank you.

Thank you, Tony.

Karen Albert and then Jose, followed by Nebo.

Good afternoon, commissioners.

My name is Karen Albert, a teacher at McCaffrey Middle School in Small Little Galt, California.

I've been a part of the SIVA program since 2008.

I cannot overstate how transformative SECC support has been for both my teaching and my students.

Because of the equipment and training provided, my students produce a daily daily live broadcast on YouTube, giving them leadership, communication, and real world technical skills.

In the last two years, we were even able to live stream our eighth grade promotion ceremony to over 1,900 viewers worldwide.

An experience that brought families together in ways we never thought possible.

Parents ran up to me, celebrating that families in Texas, Arkansas, and the Philippines were watching their family young people promote.

I've seen firsthand how this program changes lives.

Some of my former students are now working in the entertainment industry on movies, Sacramento Kings commercials, local professional sporting events, and university news programs.

Their foundation began with the Sivas.

On a personal note, I was honored to be named 2019 Alan Henderstein Teacher of the Year, along with many of the other teachers in this room.

A recognition that reflects how much SEC has helped me grow as an educator, things that I never thought possible for myself.

Receiving my first video camera for my classroom in 2008 was a pivotal moment in my teaching career.

My students have partnered with organizations such as Rayleigh's, Cal Waste, Galt Youth Commission, Galt Rotary Club, Galt Police Department, and Galt Chamber of Commerce to work on video content.

These opportunities came directly from our support from the SECC and has provided to help our students share their vision with the world.

Most of these organizations sought us out.

SIVA is not just about making videos, it's about preparing students for their future, building confidence, and giving them a voice to share their vision.

Please don't take these opportunities away.

I strongly urge you to continue funding this vital program for Sacramento County, for the students, the teachers, and the entire community.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you, Karen.

Thank you.

Uh, next we have Jose, followed by Nebio and Kevin.

Hi, good afternoon.

Uh, my name is Jose Sanchez.

Um, I'm a retired television broadcasting from KCRE3.

I worked there for 28 years.

I was a stage manager.

What got me there was my high school education, my college education.

Uh, I'm a proud graduate of Cosumus River College and Sacchino High School.

Sacramental high school is why I started at.

And the technology, the equipment that existed back then was black and white video.

And it was real to real video, so we had a load of these video machines, real, I mean, it was just ageing compared to what these kids are doing today.

The quality of work, the quality of equipment, the work, the instruction that is going on today, it's amazing.

And I am just really amazed by the quality in the leadership that has been given to these students.

Um, earlier this year, I had the opportunity to participate as a judge for the videos for the SIVA awards.

And I tell you, there was hundreds and hundreds of videos that we looked at.

And again, a wide variety, but those that program would not exist without the funding that is there, without the instruction that was that is there, without the quality of the equipment that is there.

But it's not even so much that I see that the students are maybe having the opportunity as I did go into broadcasting.

A lot of them don't.

But what it gives them is the opportunity to learn how to express themselves and how to apply those skills to other areas of employment, careers.

You know, I was very impressed by the student who spoke earlier, and she said it.

You know, it taught her communication skills, and it's just inspiring her to continue on.

And I can't stress enough the value of that.

And again, going through that Siva judging and then watching the show, the uh the award show, uh Sunday night.

They just had the Emmys here in Hollywood.

Well, here in Sacramento, they got the Emmys, the Academy Awards, it's all there for the students to uh participate in and see themselves walk that red carpet and honor the work that they've done, honor the support from the parents, honor the work from the students and the education they're they are receiving.

Please do not turn your back on that education.

Thank you.

We have our next speaker followed by uh Kevin and also Kevin.

Hey everyone.

Hi, my name is Nabao Lema.

I just wanted to briefly share how the SECC has impacted my life.

Back in high school, I joined their video club for students, and joining that club was one of the best decisions I ever made because it gave me the space to discover my passion for film and video production.

They gave me resources, mentorship, and the chance to actually grow in my skills, and because of their support, I was actually able to develop both my creativity and my confidence.

I can say that I have a clear direction for my future, and that sense of purpose came from the opportunities the SECC provided.

I'm truly grateful, and I believe the work that SECC does makes a lasting difference in our community.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you, Nabaya.

We have Kevin C followed by Kevin D and then Joe.

Good afternoon.

My name is Kevin Colewell.

I am a uh on the board member of a business group in Sacramento called Busic Alliance.

And I'm also a producer and radio producer and radio, recently radio station owner from Sacramento.

As you heard a lot of the people talk earlier from Access Sacramento, I've been there 28 years since I was 23 years old in this city.

I was on a camera at Access when we did the Jazz Festival.

And I can tell you from experience of such a guy named Ron Cooper, which who ran Access Sacrament for so many years.

He was my mentor when I was a kid because he kept me out of trouble in Access Sacramento when I was able to learn a camera.

I was able to learn how to create.

This would not have happened if I hadn't been in those classes on these cameras.

And today I bring NASCAR to Sacramento.

If you remember when we drove down through the middle of town, that was Access Sacramento that got them here.

Because I produced a show that went to them and said, Sacramento is the best city you can be in, right?

And I was a kid then, and now I'm an adult.

We started a radio program from Access Sacramento that we had, and obviously we had some funding problems.

So the members of Access Sacramento stepped up and said, we're gonna keep it going.

I now have a blind chef, right?

I have a 70-year-old citizen in this city on the radio in Access Sacramento Studios.

When I brought NASCAR here, they went, holy mackerel, you guys have the jewel here because I had kid reporters.

Never seen that report before.

So I brought a few with me to NASCAR and said, This is our youth, and I implore you.

Please don't take these services away from their youth because I still use them.

I still go in that studio 28 years later, and my kids know that, hey, their dad was raised here, right?

We were raised in this.

And I look up and I see Metro 14 cable.

I know for a fact when I was younger, we were here.

We were your your leading camera guys because then they would come and we do high school sports, which I give all my time away for that.

I am 28 years, I've never, and I can tell you, I've been on a lot of cameras for Access, have never took a paycheck ever.

I've always had my day job.

But Access Sacramento showed me that there's a new way, and I have went in these high schools.

The media department's funding is gone.

I have brought them to Access where we have 20 computers to teach them, and we have.

Thank you.

Uh, we have Kevin D followed by Joe and Ron.

Hi there, we all set.

Yes, the floor is yours.

Go for it.

Very uh very happy to be here, uh commissioners.

Uh, just thinking about listening to these students and and the people up here talking.

Uh I've got these granny glasses on that I bought at the dollar store and and it's just something to wear.

I wear a hat backwards because I used to catch, and I used to tend to the field and make sure the fade with the field was safe for the most part, um, and calling the plays.

And I'm just thinking about these kids.

I'm just thinking about what we have with Access Sacramento and what the stories that we're hearing from teachers and that we're hearing from liaisons that if we improve, like all of us, is that I'm a mentor and I've saved several lives, and I'm proud of that.

I usually don't speak on that, but I will right now, because in actuality is that it's about saving our own life, right?

I mean, we're all here, so we've done a really good job at saving our life.

Um, and to save somebody else's life is just inspirational.

And with the stories that these children are talking about and these adults are talking about, is that indeed is what's happening is is that radio and television save lives.

That Puppetville with those two that came up.

Wow, we talk about the past.

Uh we talk about uh Mr.

Rogers, we talk about PSAs right now in 2025, and it has nothing to do with but litter, a lot of it, and it's just very uncomfortable when it comes to our uh prescription drug commercials and and all of that things that um that we just so I got a little caught up because I just am so moved by by people, and it just is these one experiences can change somebody's life, and we're talking about television and radio and keeping these funds, and that's what we're asking is to please um hold off.

So I've written down a few things and I'll try to make it quick.

Thank you for hearing me today.

My name is Kevin Dredge.

I'm an independent community producer, a mental health advocate, a community builder, and a proud lion at heart.

Access Sacramento is that what we're asking for is support uh and protecting our community.

Um standing with thousands of kids, since we just heard from the teachers and the students.

We're talking about thousands of people that that were affecting today, and to really please delay the vote and meet with channel licensees to find workable solutions.

There was something else that I had written down before my time's up, and it had to do with there was some some monies that was left over in um one of the slides that you had showed, and we still haven't really allocated those funds.

So if that's a possibility, a potential to really put into some of these programs that are saving lives that are effective that are working, um, can we please come to an agreement and and get with the licensees and and just do do what we're supposed to do with there are 18 of us in here, 18 of us that represents millions, really.

Because if we close down, it's gonna take decades to to really rebuild the what we've built.

So I appreciate your time and thank you so much.

And the ribbon and the nickel, thank you with the note.

Um excellent.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I have uh Joby followed by Ron and Donna.

Hi, good afternoon.

My name is Joe Barr.

I'm board chair for Access Sacramento.

As a lost high school kid in a fading rust belt town in Pennsylvania, I was saved by a public access station and propelled to an amazing 30-year career in journalism.

So that's why I'm here today to ask you don't take away the life-changing opportunities that Access Sacramento provides to this community.

We all know cable revenues are declining, but that fact should not or should be a starting point for problem solving, not a reason to abruptly shut down a valued community media organization.

Access Sacramento was given three and a half business days notice of this vote.

Three and a half business days for an organization that served the community for 40 years.

This process occurred without input from the peg organizations, the people we serve, or even experts on community media, like Sue Busky, who lives in Sacramento and offered her knowledge to the county.

And she's here this evening, and you're gonna uh hear from her.

If you vote to cut funding outright, you will erase jobs, silence voices, and undo decades of investment in civic participation.

Cuts like these shouldn't be rushed without understanding the impact or exploring alternatives.

There are ways to adapt, to evolve, and to continue serving the county in the current economic and media environment.

But solutions can only come if the commission engages with us, not dismantles us.

So I urge you to vote no on this.

Rethink the proposal, bring Access Sacramento, SECC, and the community into a discussion and collaboration to shape the future.

Work with us so we can preserve these services that we're hearing about today and find solutions.

Thank you.

Thank you, Joe.

Ron, you have the floor, followed by Donna and James.

Thank you.

Thank you, commissioners.

Listen, we are the small guy in the room, SAC Life TV, used to be SAC Faith TV.

We are the smallest staff, we're the smallest station, and we have the smallest budget ask.

That's in here.

But out there in the community where it matters, we are the mouse that roared.

We work with our community.

We are the only media station here that represents our faith community, our nonprofit community, our community outreach.

And whether you're a left wing, right wing, an atheist, or a person of faith, why my other peg stations have communication, they have teaching, they have entertainment.

We literally save lives out there.

I have a let I have you have emails that came in of support from our station.

There's a lot of them in the inbox here.

I'm just gonna read just a little bit.

This comes from Jeff Lycoff, the sheriff of the El Dorado Hills.

He says, as a sheriff of El Dorado County, I am writing to express my strong support for SAC Life TV and the vital role they play in connection with our community with law enforcement.

I have had the honor of privilege of appearing on their Powerhouse Podcast with Topapadilla and can personally attire to professionalism and dedication to the station through programming like Powerhouse Podcasts and the Capital Cole case series, SACLive TV provides timeless and accurate information that fosters transparency, trust, and understanding between the law enforcement and community we have the privilege of serving.

Please reconsider cutting their funding.

There are multiple letters in your inboxes about this.

For myself, our funding doesn't affect our our um our product, excuse me.

The funding here doesn't affect our operations.

We're self-operated.

But where it does count is by cutting our funding, you're cutting programs out there in our for us for our community outreach, our spotlight, or we go out and highlight uh uh um uh nonprofits out there that are dealing with with um with uh drug addiction, with homelessness, with trafficking.

We bring information to the community, and by way of doing that, we help we're basically saving lives.

Um I'd like to talk about the other things too.

Is we work with our other peg stations.

Access Sacramento, there's some of our productions.

And by cutting, we all saw that there's writing on the wall, there's some budget cuts coming, and in a few years, we may be out of here altogether.

But to come at us last minute, like has been said, three days' notice that these cuts are done.

Three months ago, when we learned about this, when we we were told that our budgeting would probably go through, we were prepared for this budget cycle to be where it was, and now three days later, we find that it's all been cut out.

Now we will survive, although it'll hurt my community outreach.

But somebody like Access Sacramento, this might close their doors before Christmas, and we count on them for production.

I would strongly urge that you take that $600,000 that's in the reserve that wasn't there before and reissue that to this budget cycle so that we can increase our original budgets, and that will give us at least a parachute time of six months till the next budget cycle to work out the issues that may either save us or at least give us time to properly close the doors if we have to or make adjustments like we are.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you, Ron.

All right, we have uh Donna, the floor is yours, followed by James and Ron.

Hi, Commissioners.

Thanks for hearing all of us.

And uh Ron and Joe, those were brilliant um things that you said.

Originally, my comments were for the ad hoc committee, but I find that this commission isn't very receptive to actually having discourse with the channel licensees.

It's more authoritative.

Here's what we propose as a budget, and then you decide.

Uh it seems like after years and years, we should be communicating, especially when you're talking about the demise of all these great services.

So forgive me, this is more of an ad hoc committee uh conversation.

If I understand correctly, the cable commission has already placed 1.6 million in reserves because of this constrained financial environment.

The commission also previously voted to stockpile an additional $600, which is part of this proposed vote, right?

But however, that $600 is not decided to come out of the incoming weekend revenue.

Instead, it's being pulled away from the channel licensee nonprofits.

You're basically taking about $700,000.

If I understand this correctly, cuts that will actually devastate Access Sacramento.

We can't survive on part of a budget.

We don't have any rich uncles, we don't have any big donors, you are our donor.

And then our additional income comes from people like SAC Life, who uh gets revenue from you, and then we provide a service.

So we're getting a double hit.

We understand the loss of cable subscriber fees.

For the past four years, Access Sacramento has been actively reducing our programming and operational expenses to adapt.

But a yes vote on this proposal means Access Sacramento will lose 18 employees this fall.

They're part-timers, but that's 18 people.

A yes vote denies us the dignity to finish this fiscal year serving our community, reduce funds, save the government channel.

Excellent goals for the cable commission.

Seriously excellent goals.

I ardently agree that Metro 14 should be spared because local government transparency builds public trust and combats corruption.

I understand the complexity of managing government channels, which I have managed in Vermont, Connecticut, and New Hampshire.

Channel with a clean website interface.

Anyone would call it top tier, but I consider it a failing station.

Their costs keep rising, like the 23% increase in staff pay last year.

Metro 14 is failing because unlike Access Sacramento, who has spent the last four years in a reductive mindset, the cable commission has not demanded that more economically.

Donna, I'm so sorry, your time is complete.

Could you please?

James said I could have a minute of the next person?

Who said you had it?

That's not how that works, unfortunately.

I'll give you an opportunity to wrap it up, though, please.

Alright, so besides not asking the um Metro 14 to find technological changes that would reduce labor, the bigger picture is that around the country, government, education, and public stations are usually combined, and they're run by channel licensees at a much reduced cost than a department of a government.

Your 3.3 million is excessive.

So please vote no.

Give us our full funding for the year, and talk with us.

Thank you.

Thank you, Donna.

Next, I have James, followed by Ron and Paul.

Good afternoon, Chair, Commissioners, and the general public.

I am James Just, and today I'm coming to you as the chair of the Libertarian Party of Sacramento County, representing over 10,000 registered voters, and our members care deeply about open government, fiscal accountability, and free expression.

For us, this is personal.

Our community has supported and produced a public access TV show for over 30 years.

We've seen firsthand how Peg equip students with real world skills and keeps government transparent and gives neighborhoods a voice that commercial media often misses.

I am here because this proposal to slash the peg station's funding by almost half and to begin the ramp down to elimination arrived with virtually no meaningful notice.

Stakeholders reportedly learned that they had on Friday for a Wednesday vote, five days, not a real public participation for a decision that would restructure Sacramento's public access ecosystem.

For a government from a government standpoint, this process misses the mark.

The brand act requires 72 hours agenda posting, necessary for legality, but not the sufficient when you are contemplating a fundamental policy shift.

California Administrative Procedures Act sets a 45-day notice standard for sufficient regulatory actions and allows public to review, consider and comment meaningfully.

Even if the APA does not formally bind this commission, the spirit of that 45-day standard is the right benchmark for a decision of this magnitude.

On behalf of libertarians across the country and everyone who values due process and free speech, we are asking for three specific actions.

Vote no on an open and structured and open a structured time-certain public process and adequate notice, something closer to the 45-day norm used by state for major changes.

Go on record today and explain why so little notice was provided for a decision with far-reaching consequences.

Accountability starts with transparency about process and bring forward alternatives before cuts.

Phase reductions tied to clear metrics, bridge funding, philothic and grant partnerships, a multi-level financial roadmap.

There are lots of things we can do to avoid this kind of draconian measure.

Transparency and accountability are not partisan values.

They are foundational values.

Sacramento deserves a process that reflects those principles.

Vote no, encourage the public to come back with a collaborative plan.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you, James.

Next, we have Ron C.

Followed by Paul and Lauren.

Ron, the floor is yours.

Thank you.

Members of the Cable Commission.

In 1985, the Sacramento Community Cable Foundation was founded by this cable commission.

During the past 40 years, your creation, Access Sacramento has established an enviable track record of innovation, public acclaim, and received many programming awards, both regionally and nationally.

Thanks to your annual funding and stewardship, the dreams and aspirations of thousands of your constituents have been met and exceeded.

As the former executive director of Access Sacramento from 1992 to 2013, I urge you to continue full funding for the organization for the current fiscal year and through June of 2026, allowing for consideration for planning for gathering together, not three days' notice.

This is a fire drill.

You're better than that.

As witnessed by the many messages your office has received in support of Access Sacramento, your constituents, the taxpayers, request a reasonable opportunity for the organization to rally and plan for a future.

The cable commission has a grand villa, had a grand vision in the early 1980s to empower the public with technology training and the means of distributing their voices, their stories to a wider audience.

You invited diverse communities speaking many languages, sharing different lifestyles, and a wide spectrum of speech.

Access Sacramento has met and exceeded these lofty goals, making a difference one voice at a time.

Please don't short circuit this powerful eclectic community building engine.

This is a legacy each of you and your cable commission predecessors helped build and sustain your 40-year community investment deserves an opportunity to survive and serve.

We respectfully ask for your grace and continued support.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ron.

And uh Paul, very briefly before you begin, um, I want to let folks know that with 33-ish remaining speakers, and assuming folks take their appropriate time, that puts us about another 90 minutes or so.

Um, as folks get up, we are also human and have to go to the bathroom and whatnot.

And I promise that the public comment is still being heard.

It's actually even piped in in the bathroom in the back rooms.

And so, um, as folks get up, promise that we are still listening carefully.

Um, but sometimes you gotta go.

Um, and so I just wanted to make sure folks were aware of that.

Um, and uh Paul, the floor is yours.

Well, thank you for that opening.

That really is anyway.

I'm going to be very short, so you'll have time to go to the bathroom.

My name is Paul Friedrich.

I am the president of the Interfaith Council of Greater Sacramento, which holds the license for the SAC Faith TV.

You've heard a lot about things in this community that depend upon the cable commission.

I I challenge all of you to look at it in that way.

Look at it as individuals, look at each of the programs that are being operated by these stations.

Be different in your decision making.

We ask you to take a look at, like an example here is Hope Cooperative.

They provide mental health counseling, behavioral health support for 5,000 people.

They're gonna be affected by these cuts.

I'm just gonna say you have the opportunity to show the people of Sacramento that you are caring and compassionate people.

You are not just going to blindly cut money, you're gonna actually look at these programs, take hard looks, delay the process as much as you need to to make a full decision to benefit the people of Sacramento County.

Thank you.

Thank you, Paul.

Next we have Lauren R.

followed by Jerry and then Brian.

Thank you so much.

Of course, it's automatic, but we're working on it.

Thank you so much.

Um, if I talk really loud, it's because I'm nervous.

That's totally okay.

Thank you, time.

Um, to the commission, commission's board members.

When I received an email on last night from the station director and the organizing director over PCS Film Festival, Donna Garo, I was floored.

My heart was painfully broken.

That is happening to the little guy yet again.

What is happening to the little guy yet again?

I don't know how much my voice will help to change the minds of any of the board members, but here I go.

First and foremost, delay the vote.

Consider the consequences that will affect our high cultured community.

Access Sacramento and KVIE has provided opportunity and a platform for local screenwriters and creative playwright artists, but has also allowed myself and others to broadcast events, information, share knowledge and events to attend, and help make each of us a better people.

Build our skills, give us an edge from the competitors, and strive for excellence.

I can say that honestly because I'm that person.

We host a podcast out of Access Sacramento that reaches local and statewide ears.

And what floors me is the fact that my earlier me wouldn't have been able to do that.

I would have been terrified to show boldness and courage and to show boldness and courage to voice and opinion and genuinely desire to help others be their best selves.

Stop pandering to the corporate interests that don't benefit our community.

If this is your final decision, are you willing to show us proof to the numbers reflecting the advantages of cutting this program that literally teaches us how to read to read and write, to use our brain, not AI, express our amendment rights of freedom of speech, and right to express our beliefs and values.

I can't speak on being on black or unbrown privilege, privilege, or being a stock market investor, or even hold a conversation about the moving parts to a newly purchased Mercedes SUV because I'm not, I'm so preoccupied paying outrageous rent, working two jobs to support my family, and caring for my elderly disabled mom on social security in her retirement home.

I'm not in support for gutting or dismantling the crew or hard workers, hard workers at Access Sacramento and KVIE that literally teaches filmmaking and editing how to use camera equipment, lighting, green screens, makeup, film production and budgeting, styles of radio, podcasting and how to get licensing and counting permits, team, teamwork and locations and events, mixers, supports you and your documentary dreams.

Thank you so much for your comment.

I'll give you 10 seconds to wrap it up.

Don't give into doge and destroy what many hands have built as a safe haven for the blind, deaf, black, white, male, female, young, and old, to this community.

Don't destroy our voice, instead, support our cause.

Thank you for coming, Lauren.

Uh next, I have Jerry, followed by Brian and Joe.

Good morning.

Afternoon.

My name is Jerry Johns, and I um talking to you today to reconsider your plans to drastically cut Access Sacramento budget.

Access Sacramento has been a vital part of Sacramento since the since the late 1980s.

I became involved in Access Sacramento in the 1990s as a parent.

Wishing to get wishing to get broader exposure to a performing company that was started in Sacramento called Galena Street East by Richard and Jerry Klinger.

And that Galena Street East has been involved in Sacramento for about little little under 50 years.

And they produced two large programs each year.

They produced um a program over the holiday season called Um Holiday Tapestry.

And then during the springtime, they produce a show called River City Review that showcased both Sacramento and California history.

These stage productions were professionally professionally staged and um among uh for large audiences in Sacramento, but we needed to get a broader audience.

So we went came to Access Sacramento and was able, I was able to get trained on first their cameras, which was cool, and then their editing equipment, which is challenging, and then the truck, which was really cool, because you could then get four cameras and be able to call camera one and do close-ups and those kind of things, and then their studio studio in the box, and we were able to produce these shows for Access Sacramento that were showing for decades on Access Sacramento to the enjoyment of the community and and the self-esteem of the kids that were involved.

There is something special about being seeing yourself on TV, which is really liked.

A lot of these kids have gone on to do other things in the arts and in the country.

Some of them are on Broadway currently, some of them went to um cruise ships and did cruise ships, and some of them, like my son who are professors of music in universities in the in the United States.

These this is a basically one example of the kind of things that Access Sacramento has been able to give to our community and for our children and the self-esteem it provides.

This is just one example of that kind of the kind of programming, and I implore you to do all you can to listen to others to better understand the importance of Access Sacramento and to our community and to take actions to preserve it for the future.

Thank you very much for your time.

Thank you, Jerry.

Next we have uh Brian W.

followed by Joe and then Anthony.

Uh Chair, there was a little bit of confusion.

It looks like uh Jerry Johns uh jumped in front of Jerry J.

So if we can have uh too many Jerry Jerry, yes, yes, but if we can have Mr.

Jerry J come up.

Absolutely.

Brian, I am so sorry if you don't mind pausing one moment.

Uh other Jerry J.

Please uh come on up and take the floor.

Thank you.

I was walking down and thought, oh, there must be two Jerriys here today.

So thank you so much.

I apologize for that.

Please feel free to have your time.

Understandable.

Uh hello, commissioners.

Good afternoon.

My name is Jerry Jones.

I'm the executive director of technology services at the Sacramento County Office of Education.

I'm also serving as the vice chair for the Sacramento Educational Cable Consortium's board as well.

I'm here today to respectfully ask that the commission delay its vote on the 2025-26 fund final budget.

The SECC board members understand that revenue has been declining year over year, and our board has been proactively exploring alternative funding sources so that the vital services we provide to students, families, teachers, and school districts across Sacramento County will continue.

Our executive director was told as recently as last June to expect gradual reductions over the next two to three years, which would give us time to plan.

What we did not expect was to learn over the weekend that the budgets before you today would severely cut our funding in the fiscal year that we're already three months into, after which the SECC would be completely defunded by June 2026, without any notice, without any discussion, and without any input from our staff, our board, or the educational community in which we serve.

For more than 40 years, the SECC has ensured that the fees collected from the public are reinvested directly back into programs that benefit their children and families.

Losing the SECC would mean losing critical services, including the best network, which connects uh 250,000 students to the internet in 13 school districts to ensure that they receive a 21st century education, which the cable commission invested a significant amount of funds to build over the last 25 years.

The student video production labs were uh young people gain real-world skills that often lead to careers in communications and in technology, as we've heard about uh so far this afternoon.

The SIVAs, which give thousands of students each year the chance to create, present, and celebrate their video projects that they've created over the year.

Video production services, which capture events like Teacher of the Year, the Academic Decathlon, graduations, and much more, services our schools rely on to connect with families and the community, and learning communities where the SECC brings educators together to collaborate on digital media, AI, esports, and family engagement so that all students have equitable access uh to opportunities.

These programs are not luxuries, they are core supports for education and community engagement, and their loss would be devastating, especially at a time when federal funding to schools has already been cut significantly or is currently being threatened.

I understand PEG and other uh fees are in decline right now, but they were established to provide public and educational access to cable resources.

If the public and the education are stripped away, leaving only government, then the spirit of the PEG funding is lost.

It feels as if one of the organisms if one organization is being preserved at the expense of the others, instead of making equitable reductions that would give the SECC time to secure alternative funding so that we can continue our mission to support students, families, and our schools.

On behalf of the Sacramento County Office of Education, our school districts, and the SCCC, I urge you, please do not let this vital resource disappear without a fair process and a chance for collaboration.

Postpone today's vote, involve all stakeholders, and allow us the time to work together towards a sustainable solution that protects decades of investment in Sacramento's students and schools.

The families of the cable.

Thank you so much for your comments.

I'm so sorry about your time is complete.

Um 10 seconds wrap it up.

Yep.

Yes, thank you.

The families of the cable subscribers who pay the PEG fees each year deserve nothing less.

Thank you for your support and your thoughtful consideration.

Thank you.

Brian, now it's actually your turn.

Followed by Joe and then Anthony.

Does this one come up?

Yes, but slowly.

Don't start my time yet.

Very slowly.

Thank you.

Thank you, Commission, for listening to uh comments today.

I wanna start off by um talking to each and every one of you because I'm not sure that you all understand what a crown jewel you have in SCCC here in Sacramento County.

Nobody else anywhere else in the country has this, and it's a model that several counties have tried to emulate, and nobody has been successful.

So this is something special, and I want you to realize that when you're voting uh on this, hopefully you're not voting tonight, but uh when you do vote, this is something that is not replicated anywhere else.

And so if we lose this, uh we lose truly a crown jewel.

I want to start off with a story.

Uh I've I'm my name is Brian White, so I'm a teacher at Del Campo High School.

I teach the uh career technical education video and broadcast production program.

I've been teaching for 25 years.

Twenty-four years ago, I was at a different school in San Juan Unified School District, and we were having trouble with our broadcast program.

We had no money, we had spent the summer uh running coax cable through the rafters.

Don't tell my my district folks that we were doing that, but that's what we were doing to get a broadcast program going at our school.

Um we had problems, we didn't know where to turn.

We found SECC, and that forged a 25-year partnership.

They saved our tales, um, and they have always been I refer to them every year as my right arm because I could not do what I'm doing without the support of SECC.

Since that time, I have developed three other programs from the ground up at three different schools.

So think about that.

Think about the number of kids that has involved that have gone through my programs thanks to SECC.

Nobody else does that.

Nowhere else in the world.

Okay.

Um, video and broadcast production are hard.

I put on a daily show, live daily show broadcast to 1600 students at Del Campo High School.

Every single student turns it tunes in and watches every single day.

I cannot exist without having a support group of SECs saying, hey, this is going wrong.

Can what do you guys think?

And they can come out and help me out.

They advise me on every piece of equipment I purchase so that I do not purchase the wrong equipment.

Um I don't know what else to say, but I want, if if you vote yes on this, I want each and every one of you to go out to over 600 SIVA videos that were turned in last year.

I want you to go out to those students and explain to them why you're cutting the funding.

I understand funding is hard.

I'm not a funding guy.

I'm a teacher.

I'm just trying to inspire kids and uh make their dreams come true.

I've got two students right now in broadcast journalism in college, one at University of Oregon, one at University of Natarino.

I've got former students that were actually broadcast journalists here in Sacramento.

Thank you so much for your comments.

Your time is complete.

Thank you.

Joe followed by Anthony and then Aaron.

Working on it.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Hi, I'm Joe Parenti, and uh I want to echo the other Jerry, Derry J.

in the blue shirt.

I'm on the board of the Sacramento Educational Cable Consortium, representing my nonprofit corporation Process Theater Inc.

Um.

I've been on the board since 2006, and I started with SCCC in 2088.

So I've been around for a while, kind of like Ron.

And um we had the first TV studio back in 1991, and that's how we got involved with the kids and broadcasting and microwave signals to SAC State and things like that.

Um the part that I really want to echo as a board member of Sacramento Educational Cable Consortium is not the future of that of what I did, actually, with the future of what's coming up.

We get it, we get it, we get it.

Franchise fees are going down.

We get it, we get it, we get it.

I'm I I still have cable, by the way.

Um so it's just one of those things that need to be discussed and not hacked.

Um, as Jerry said, we should table this and table the vote and come back, have a couple of zoom sessions and talk about it.

And we know what we have to do, and you guys seem to know what you need to do, and that's all I have to say.

Thank you.

Thank you, Joe.

Next, I've got Anthony E, followed by Aaron H.

and then Bethany P.

Hello, I just want to thank you for letting me come up here.

My name is Anthony, and I'm a senior at Del Campo High School.

I started learning in media classes funded by SECC in seventh grade, and I completely fell in love with it.

I loved it so much that I stayed in these classes throughout my high school years, and now I plan to pursue media arts in college.

Sorry.

And it's all thanks to SECC.

Without the learning from SECC, I would have never found my passion, and I would never have been able to learn the skills with cameras and broadcasting as I do now, and I would have never been able to be accepted to work as a creative and digital design leader for the number one student-run nonprofit in the in the nation.

Well, with the teachings SECC provides, I was able to participate in the SIVAs, which is the award show put on by SECC.

Last year there was over 600 entries for the Civil War show, and seeing all of the other kids being recognized for these uh for their hard work was absolutely amazing to see.

With that, I hope my comments and perspective were able to help you consider your decision.

Thank you, Commission, for your time, and thank you, SECC, for helping me find my passion, and I'm forever grateful and forever a SIBA winner.

Thank you, Anthony.

Mr.

Heinrich, you have the floor.

Thank you.

My name is Aaron Heinrich.

I'm the executive director of the Sacramento Educational Cable Consortium.

I appreciate all of your patience, because I know this is a lot, but just imagine how many people would have been here had we had more time to plan.

So, you know, all of us are aware that cable subscriptions are going down.

The we were being prepared for that eventuality with the two to three year window.

Coming at it from the standpoint of just finding out on Friday that we did not have the kind of window certainly caught us by surprise.

We had already taken steps to create more funding revenue, more funding streams.

But at this point, we don't have the runway to get those into place by the end of this summer.

So one of the things I want to point out that kind of was alluded to by Brian Weitzel and a couple other teachers here is that right now there are about 110 media educators in Sacramento County teaching about 2,500 kids.

All of those media educators depend on us for a variety of equipment, training, and production services.

Thank you.

So imagine tomorrow they're going to school.

We'll be just fine.

But imagine when school starts again later this coming school year, 2026-27, the vast majority of those kids will not have access to the things that we provide to them if you've cut this budget.

So I just want to make that point.

The other point that hasn't been made yet is what happens when the channels go dark, right?

Um, what is gonna happen from our end is the soup the schools and the districts that rely on us to be able to share the productions that their kids put together, um, they won't have that opportunity anymore.

Also, the people that count on those channels to be able to watch their grandchildren, their nieces, their nephews, even their own children, walk the stage during graduation, will not have that opportunity anymore because we provided over streaming for over 40 to 50, I think, different graduation ceremonies this year.

That meant a lot of kids were able to at least share that experience with relatives and friends that couldn't be there, but at least got to see it from that standpoint.

There are folks that watch those channels for the wide variety of cultural and other educational programs that we provide.

Once we go dark, they will not have that opportunity anymore.

I have no idea where they will be able to get that.

Now, one of the things I've got 30 seconds.

I was gonna name all the folks that had already um put part of their comments in, but just understand as of noon, we saw there were 99 pages to that agenda packet.

By the time we came here, there were almost 400.

Those are all people that wrote in on our behalf on behalf of Access Sacramento, Sacramental Life, KVIE.

So I hope you take that into account as you look at this, and I hope you vote no on these budgets.

Thank you.

Thank you, Aaron.

We have Bethany followed by Blake and then Nick.

Good afternoon, commissioners.

My name is Bethany Paval, and I'm a veteran, a single mom, and the administrative assistant at the Sacramento Educational Cable Consortium.

I chose to work for SEC because after serving my country, I wanted to continue giving back to my community, to our school, and most of all to our kids.

In a way that is personal, powerful, and lasting.

I may not be in the classroom or out in the field with a camera, but I see what SEC does, and I see how deeply it matters.

But I'm not just here today as an employee, I'm here as a mother.

SEC provides incredible life changing opportunity, something my own son can possibly be a part of one day.

The work we do at SEC is not just professional for me, it's personal.

It's about continuing building a legacy, a future where kids like my son can discover their voice, their creativity, and step into their potential with confidence and pride.

But just as importantly, we support the teachers who make these programs possible.

Media teachers depend on SEC for technical support, production assistance, and the tools needed to bring media education into their classrooms.

Many of them simply wouldn't have the resources to do it alone.

SEC helps turn their vision into a reality.

Cutting funding to SEC isn't cutting a cable program, it's cutting off access, opportunity, and hope.

It's taking away the tools teachers rely on, the opportunity students wait for all year, and as for many students, especially those who may not have access to technology at home, this might be their only chance to explore media, creativity, and communication in a meaningful way.

I know budgets are tight and tough decisions must be made, but please don't forget the human impact.

The students who will lose their spark, the teachers who will lose their support system, and parents like me who see this as a chance for our children.

SEC works, it matters, and if it's gone, the loss will be real, immediate, and painful.

Not just to a program, but to people, to futures, to our children.

As a veteran, as a single mom, and as someone who has dedicated my life to service, I ask you please protect SECC.

Let us keep doing this work that lifts up students, supports leaders and teachers, and strengthens our community.

Thank you for your time and considering what's really at stake here.

Thank you, Bethany.

We've got Blake followed by Nick and then Sophia.

Good afternoon, commissioners.

Uh, executive director and uh everyone who came here to support the PEG channels.

I want to thank you all.

I don't want to take up too much of your time, so I'll keep this brief.

Uh, my name is Blake Warner.

For the last two years, ever since I graduated high school, I have been working as a production assistant with SECC.

Um, that's not where my relationship with SECC started, though.

Um, in fact, I've been involved with them ever since I was in seventh grade.

I remember being 11 years old, feeling so excited to submit my very first Siva video.

Not just excited about the possibility of winning an award, and not even the fact that my video could have been played on SECC's cable channels, but I was excited about the fact that this is something I could do as a career.

SECC gave me the opportunity and the resources to do what I am truly passionate about, which is creating videos.

And sorry, guys.

Lost my spot.

Try to memorize everything.

What SCC does, the live broadcasts, the grants, the entire SIVA program, none of that would be possible if it weren't for the funding provided by the Cable Commission.

And there are so many underfunded schools in Sacramento County that if you guys pulled that funding, those schools, their media programs, they would cease to exist the next year.

And I want to build on what Aaron said.

That's roughly 2,500 students who are affected by the SIVA program every single year.

And so for every story like mine, um, there are countless students out there whose lives have been impacted, and maybe they even found their calling thanks to the actions of the Sacramento Educational Cable Consortium.

Thank you, everyone.

Thank you, Blake.

We got Nick Conklin, followed by Sophia and then Narassa.

Good afternoon, Commissioners, Executive Director Ayola, and esteemed Sacramento County staff.

My name is Nick Conklin, former SIBA student, lifelong learner, and technology specialist at SECC.

Today I want to share with you a story that underscores the vital importance of the educational cable channels.

This true story is a story of a mother, a mother who in 2023 was confined to a hospital bed due to her long-term adverse health after suffering a heart attack during her time in the hospital, tethered to monitors and confined by illness.

It was a time of quiet hope, but also deep frustration and sadness as a milestone approached that she would be unable to witness her own son's high school graduation.

Her son stepping into a new chapter, and she more than anyone else deserved to be there to witness and cheer from the crowd.

But her body betrayed her.

The simple act of leaving the hospital was impossible.

Each attempt to plan for that was harshly met with the reality of her condition.

The pain of missing that day was almost as heavy as the illness itself.

And yet, when all seemed lost, the Sacramento Educational Cable Consortium, thanks to us and thanks to you, the cable commission, that moment wasn't lost.

We were able to bring that moment to her together through the SECC's cable channels.

She watched her son walk across that stage from her hospital room.

For those precious moments, the walls of the hospital room faded, and it was replaced by the joy of seeing a loved ones triumph.

That broadcast didn't just share a ceremony.

It connected her and her family during a time when being together wasn't physically possible.

The mother, watching with tears in her eyes, was my mother.

And her son walking the stage was my brother.

These are just one of the many stories in the many lives that SCCC has brought joy, opportunity, value, and priceless memories to our community.

Now, funding for these channel licensees is cut, how many other families will lose these precious moments?

How many students will miss having their achievements shared with those who matter most?

And how many mothers will be without the accessibility of these resources.

These channels are not just broadcasts, they're lifelines fostering education, unity and pride in our community.

I urge you to consider the countless families and students who rely on these services.

Please protect the funding that currently makes these connections possible.

Thank you.

Thank you, Nick.

Um, and uh Madam Clerk, can you also ensure that the minutes reflect that uh director Grenason is uh having to leave at this moment and confirm that we do still have quorum?

Excellent, thank you.

Um, Sophia, the floor is yours.

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

My name is Sophia Dorfer.

I'm the marketing coordinator at SECC.

In a short time that I have been here, I have had the privilege of seeing how our work changes lives.

Not in abstract numbers, but in real stories of students, teachers, and families across Sacramento.

I wanted to work at SECC because I have a passion for education as well as media creation.

When I realized I could pursue both things that I care so deeply about, it felt like a dream come true.

I stepped into the role quickly and began implementing tactics and strategies that would help bring more awareness to this amazing nonprofit.

Within days, we were gaining more attraction, engagement, and followers than ever before.

Every day I think about where we will be within a year, given these impressive numbers I track each week.

When the opportunity arises for me to go off site and visit schools and meet with students and teachers, I jump at the chance because it's always fulfilling.

The hard work, dedication, and support our SEC team gives to these schools is incredible.

I have been a witness to seeing students light up as soon as they get in front of the camera.

I have heard their dreams of becoming journalists, reporters, or even videographers.

I've attended field trips where students get to see what production looks like at big organizations.

I have joined in on numerous committee meetings where students get to voice their thoughts, ideas, and opinions.

I never knew how big of an impact SECC was going to have on me until I started actively working for them.

And may I say I'm beyond proud to be a part of this amazing nonprofit?

SECC is more than a channel.

We are a bridge.

We connect classrooms to communities and students to opportunities they never thought possible.

When you fund SECC, you're not just supporting equipment or broadcast, you're investing in kids who may one day be our teachers, journalists, filmmakers, or community leaders.

Without us, many of these students will lose access to media education and the tools that help prepare them for their future careers.

Defunding SECC would not just cut a program, it would cut off a lifeline for thousands of students who rely on us to find their voice, to gain skills, and to be seen.

Taking away media education is like taking away creativity and the chance for students to use their imagination and just dream.

Students need a place to express their creativity, and what better place to do so than at school?

In this impersonal world, SECC gives a hands-on personal and collaborative environment for students to thrive where they can work alongside their peers, get support from their teachers, and be proud of what they have accomplished.

So today I'm asking you to not see SECC as an expense, but as an investment in Sacramento's young people and equity and in our shared future.

Thank you.

Thank you, Sophia.

Thank you.

Up next we have Naressa, followed by Julio and then Kevin.

Good afternoon.

I am the director of operations at SECC.

I always say that I keep things running on the back end so that our amazing creative team can do, can show the kids what's possible.

We know that the landscape of public funding is changing.

That's why, over the past seven months since Erin and I joined the team, we have all done what SECC has done in the past and we have encouraged our students to do, which is to adapt, innovate, and look to the future.

With PEG funds decreasing, we've taken real steps to create new and sustainable, diversified funding streams.

In collaboration with our board, we've created a strategic plan that includes sponsorship support, grant opportunities, community collaboration, production services, and even a podcast, Lights Camera Learn, that you will soon be able to listen to and support via Patreon.

We are not asking to be saved.

We are asking you to make a decision today that will provide a bridge to transition responsibly, a bridge that allows SECC to protect valuable services and to allow us to implement these funding strategies that have already been put in motion.

Your support today will help to ensure that Sacramento doesn't lose vital resources for student media education, teacher training, and equitable connectivity with BestNet.

More importantly, it allows us to provide indispensable services for students who do not have the funds to afford private programs or to access professional tools at home.

Think about where you are sitting today and how you got here.

Were you ever inspired by a program or a teacher who saw and wanted to give you the chance to become what's possible?

If so, we ask that you take this opportunity to do the same for an organization that has made a difference for 40 years.

Please don't let a rushed decision today erase decades of impact.

We ask that today you vote to help us transition, not disappear.

We ask that you partner with us today to allow SCC the chance to evolve.

And finally, I implore you.

Stand with us today to protect student opportunities, their dreams, and their tomorrows.

Thank you.

Julio Sanchez.

Yes.

Good afternoon.

I'm Julio Sanchez.

I'm the production manager at SCCC.

We've prepared a video I'd like to share with you now.

We believe this summarizes the decades of service we've provided to the community.

So if we could play that now, please.

Thank you.

Here we go.

Just a little bit about the organization.

The Sacramento Educational Cable Consortium is a partnership of all of the public educational institutions in Sacramento, including K 12, Los Rios Community Colleges, and Sacramento State.

And we program all of the educational channels on the cable system, and we're extremely grateful to all of the people who help make educational cable and Civus possible.

The SIVA competition is the only regional opportunity for local students to be recognized for excellence in educational multimedia production.

We are honored to have you part of this unforgettable evening for our media students.

This program has really helped me a lot.

I'm just really happy to be a part of the CIA.

I think it was really fun to do.

I think video is a great tool for students, and they can use it to have a voice and be heard.

It's just been amazing how it's grown.

The labs in the schools are literally producing what a lot of major uh news studios couldn't even produce 10 years ago.

Well, you know, it kind of empowers a bunch of kids to get a message out, and there's no grade level that goes untouched.

So everybody gets involved.

And I know that a lot of these folks go on to make it their craft to make it a life's pursuit, and I think that what they learn from their instructors and from the community really makes a difference in their lives as they grow to adulthood.

Great energy, a great opportunity to uh recognize kids uh for doing something kind of out of the box, and uh so very excited to be here.

And I think of just a celebration for video production and media.

They've been given an opportunity to take them to a whole nother level in their future, whether it's in high school, college, or on in a professional career.

Like to share a few words.

It means a lot to me having a media class to learn new skills and make your friends.

It really means a lot that people actually support my work and notice my work.

We hope to continue to make videos to help people in the community.

I'd like to thank SEC for providing the Super Awards that help me improve my work every year.

They are uh really learning a lot with technology, they are gaining confidence in their interview skills.

It's been really cool to see.

So thank you for doing what you do.

I just think it's great that they're learning at such a young age, and already being curious about that type of media.

To have art for our young people to express themselves in this way is so crucial, and I'm just so grateful for all of you for putting this on.

These students are getting the opportunity through your help, through the school's help, um, introducing them to something that they really want to do for the rest of their lives.

Unfortunately, uh time is uh up for this public comment, um, which is definitely unique.

Thank you for sharing that.

Um, next we have Kevin, uh followed by Topo and also Kevin, but a different Kevin, R.

All right, third of at least four Kevins.

Uh my name's Kevin Pappineau, and 23 and 24.

Some of you remember I was sitting up there with you as a member of the Gulf City Council.

So after 12 years in elective office, I know you face some tough challenges uh with these budget things.

I think communication tonight's maybe made it clear that it we could take a step back and uh at least make sure people are heard and know they've been considered.

Um my regular job, I'm a uh investigator for the district attorney's uh cold case science and technology unit.

And I say that not because this project I want to talk about is a project of the uh DA's office because it's definitely not um and I'm so excited about it.

I'm doing it on my own for free.

So um crash course and cold cases.

There's kind of three three things we look at.

Uh science, DNA.

You've all heard about genealogy, uh technology, uh, cell phone forensics, geo mapping, all that kind of stuff.

The other part's witnesses, and we have to reach them.

And a big part of that is reaching out to people who five, ten, twenty years ago, we're in a different place in life.

And we didn't reach them then.

We can reach them now, and perhaps they'll come forward and do the right thing.

Uh, whether they never spoke before or didn't tell the truth back then.

So uh after I departed elected life and this commission, I started working with uh Ron Herman here on a project called Capital Cold Cases.

And the idea uh we're already actually under production for our first uh four cases, two episodes, and um we're uh hoping to start recording those uh actually next month with the Sacramento Sheriff's Department and the Sacramento Police Department, and I've got a ton of other agencies in the area that are lined up looking for this opportunity to have this vehicle to get their cases out there and to reach out to people that you know heretofore they don't have a way to reach out to, so um I think it's important to you to know uh not just you know the big the big picture but to understand the the little pieces of you know what we're trying to put out there and how it actually affects the community.

That's all I've got.

Thanks.

Thank you, Kevin.

Um, we have Topo followed by Kevin R.

and then Lauren F.

Good afternoon.

My name is Topo, not to be confused with any other Topos in the uh room.

Um 60-year resident of Sacramento, and I've never been to a cable commission meeting, but I have to say I am so impressed.

I had a lot of notes I was gonna talk about, but one of the things I want to say about every speaker that I've noted, not one of them has duplicated each other.

They've all had something new and fresh to say, and every one of them has been compelling for me sitting in that seat.

I would want to be sitting in your seats because what it's gonna take is bold moves, and I'm gonna jump way ahead to a six hundred thousand dollar reserve that you want to put in to I think up it to either 2.2 million or something like that.

Um, and you want to do that, and everybody here will be affected by it.

Um, so I'll go ahead and start where I'm coming from.

Is that I'm the president of Crime Victims United.

It's one of the many boards that I sit on, and I will tell you, we're an organization that doesn't have a lot of funding.

We don't have rich donors, but what we do have is places like Access Sacramento and SACLIFE TV that have helped us highlight for crime victims and and to be there for them, and uh the many other nonprofit organizations that I'm involved in rely on places like SACLOF like TV and Access Sacramento.

I'm the host of the Powerhouse Podcast.

And I didn't know how powerful it was going to be.

I've had the consul general from Mexico, Christian Gonzalez on our show.

I've had police chief Kathy Lester, Sheriff Jeff Lykoff, and many other guests deal with mental illness, homelessness, and an array of subjects.

I had no idea.

You're talking to a kid who at El Camino High School is on KYDS, and the teacher told me you need to drop out of this class.

You're not gonna ever make it in radio.

That inspired me.

And I would hope and pray that every one of you have heard me on the radio.

I've been on the radio for over 20 years.

Um I was compelled, I was pushed by a teacher, just like a lot of these students and these teachers, and God bless you guys for what you do in our educational system.

So I just want to tell you that this is very important to a lot of people.

More people, there is way more people than the people in this room, as you I think you know.

And as I said, I think you're in a tough spot, but I don't think you are.

I've been I've dealt with budgets before.

I've been on nonprofit boards.

I've sat in that seat and I've sat in those seats.

I sat on the board of a national organization, who had a shoestring budget, and we had to make tough decisions.

And the board behind the scenes says we know what we gotta do, we gotta do it.

And then we had comments from our members, and we were bold enough to change our minds.

I hope you're not set in stone on what you want to do.

I hope you will make a change and that you will vote no on this.

Last thing I want to tell you at the beginning of this meeting was this shows on Access 14.

Uh, you know, you can't watch that on Comcast app.

You cannot watch it, and that's something that y'all need to maybe look into fixing.

So thank you.

Noted and appreciated.

Thank you.

Um, we've got Kevin R.

followed by Lauren F and then Bunny.

Hello, this on.

Yeah.

Yes.

My name is Kevin Ramfer, and the past about say two years now, I've worked on multiple shows for Access Sacramento, including uh Chowder Heart and Friends, Puppetville News, Sacktown Movie Buffs.

What's great about all these shows that have been produced at this uh Access Sacramento, they all give a different voice to the Sacramento area and the different creators that are all out here in this area just trying to make content and trying to you know use their voice.

And if you know, cut the grant, you know, the the won't be won't be as many shows maybe being uh done.

None of these voices will be out, yeah, be able to be out here like they are, and you know, maybe different shows in the future won't be able to come out and have the voice at different creators, you know, being able to do what they're able to do.

And you know, I've also done like the training of their access ac and like the training's really good.

L I see I see like really young people in there like trying to get their start.

It gives the good people good grounds to um start their careers in entertainment.

And so, you know, it we hopefully that you know the funding can keep up and more shows could keep being produced.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Wait, wait, wait, real quick.

Hey, real quick.

What does your shirt say?

Oh, what did the five figures say to the face?

Oh, smack, got it.

Yeah, uh thank you.

And um let's have the minutes reflect that uh Commissioner Munoz was unable to join us and confirm that we're still at Quorum.

Yes, we are.

Thank you so much, Madam Clerk.

Does this one?

And also uh commissioners, um uh Sloan and Martian, of course.

McCarthy Olmsted, it's been a long day, I apologize.

It's embarrassing.

Um yes, thank you for that.

Hold tight, we're almost there.

Um, thank y'all.

And we are still at quorum.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Yes, we are.

Uh Lauren, the floor is yours.

Okay.

This hi, I'm Laureen Fallahey.

I'm uh with Access Sacramento, and I've been with Access for about eight years.

Um, and prior to that, I was actually a member in 2012.

Um, so I worked um at my job before Access was I was a network engineer for Citibank.

And um, you know, as time progressed, you know, everybody cats.

And my job went to Latin America, but um the cool thing is that Access Sacramento, because I was a member, I got to learn, you know, how to make film and TV.

Um, it allowed me in 2016 to actually work on two Hollywood feature films, which was a real blast, and I learned so much.

I also got to work on a lot of TV shows.

Um, you know, I even created my own feature film that we had here at the Crest, 850 people in our first attendance, which was amazing and fun.

Um, we also did a TV show here for Front Street Animal Shelter that went on for three seasons, and um, which is really cool, and then I said, you know, okay, I I took those two years off to travel, and then I decided I saw this posting for Access Sacramento, and I said, you know what, why not?

I really want to give back.

And I've been with them since 2017, and it's the you know, so I hope I don't cry, but they've changed my life and basically the people, I'm here for the people because it's it's the diverse, sorry, I try not to cry.

Like the diversity and just what we do for the community, and if we lose for the kids, the public is gonna be devastating.

So I you know, I really hope you guys think about what you say or do on this boat.

Because there is another way, you know.

I mean, what I'm seeing here is everybody's come to get coming together, and this is something I wanted to see is all these groups collaborate, you know, SECC, Access, Metro, you know, KVIE.

That's like a dream of people collaborating come together.

Because there is a way that we can all survive, and there is space for all of us.

We just have to put our heads together and think about it.

So I really asked for you guys to say no or delay this vote.

Sorry, thank you.

Thank you, Lauren.

All right, and we have Bunny S.

Followed by Jessica and Lisette.

Thank you so much, Commissioners, for giving the time for this today.

Um, again, I'm Bunny Stewart, and I'm very grateful to Access Sacramento for um starting my career.

I won Best Actress for a Place Called Sacramento years ago.

Um, please come to a place called Sacramento if you haven't been yet.

Um, you can see the array of talent that we have here in Sacramento.

Currently, I'm the executive producer of Sactown Media Buzz.

We're reliant on the studio at Access Sacramento, and we're reliant on their quality equipment along with the lighting and the sound to produce our show that brings diverse talent that wouldn't normally be showcased.

That is um local.

I am a teacher for Access Sacramento.

I teach uh students how to apply makeup professionally for film and television.

What they charge students is so minimal compared to what I charge people one-on-one or my set fees.

Um, so what they're offering is a cut rate opportunity to get uh first rate um makeup and um how to look polished on on film and television and really to develop character as well.

Um I'm also the mother of a high school student who's finding their place in this world.

It's very awkward right now, it's very hard being a high school student.

Um he's finding his place at uh in this world at Access Sacramento.

I had a conversation with him when he started going.

He did an internship through Civitas, which is a special program at Rio Americano High School for kids that are civically inclined.

And um I said, so he did his internship for Civitas at Access Sacramento, and we thought we had the timeline.

We didn't know that it would be so short.

Please allow him the time to finish out his senior year.

We knew that the funding was going away, we knew that.

We've been planning for it, but we plead with you to postpone these budget cuts so that we have the time we are promised.

Thank you.

Thank you, Bunny.

We have Jessica followed by Lissette and Dennis.

Hello, Cable Commission.

My name is Jessica Lissette Aho.

I'm an actress, voiceover artist, and a children's preacher for both preteens and elementary age children from Vaccaville, California.

I am now also the assistant director and writer for the educational children's show Puppetville News, which, as I presented earlier, is one of this year's grant recipients and broadcast on Access Sacramento.

I ask you to vote no on defunding.

Access Sacramento is not only important to the film community in being able to create and have a creative outlet, it is also a vital for individuals to have a safe place for their opinions to be broadcast in a nonviolent way and encourage healthy collaborations and discussions.

Excuse me.

It is also critical to continue full funding so that those employees can continue to contribute to the community.

This allows the community to have a place to network with those in the industry at all levels of experience, where individuals such as myself and my own children have discovered new passions.

It allows even the youngest of citizens, our children, to embark on a journey to realize the difference they can make with their unique perspectives and voices in all aspects of the production process.

And through Puppetville on Access Sacramento, that has allowed not only myself to gain new skills in scriptwriting, puppeteering, and directing, but has also inspired acting in my 10-year-old daughter and puppeteering for my eight-year-old son.

My son even drew this photo of himself puppeteering unprompted while we were sitting here waiting through the long wait because of how much he loves being a part of Puppetville.

I urge you all to vote no on defunding or to postpone voting until all potential avenues have been taken into consideration to prevent detrimental impact to the community and provide the proper transparency and timely communication that the community deserves.

Local TV has been seen demise in the city of Vacoville.

And because of that, I now willingly sacrifice commuting to Sacramento to see that my homeschool children who are also a part of Puppetville News can witness what can be created when talent and crew from near and far have a central place to connect.

No virtual Facebook group or clubs compared to being present and actually being heard and seen in a physical central location with the opportunity to use real production tools and gain tangible skills that can only be done when passionate people are connected in person.

Saying no to defending is saying yes to continuing the tradition of Sacramento public access in mentoring and inspiring and as many have stated here, saving the lives of the current and future generations.

Thank you for your time and God bless.

Thank you, Jessica.

Next we have Lisette, Dennis, and David.

Perfect.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Hello, my name is Lisette, and I'm 10 years old, and I'm here to support Puppetville News on Access Sacramento.

Puppetville News is a TV show that's educational and has played a part in my love for acting.

And we make learning fun, and it helps us kids watch something and learn.

I hope for full funding for Access Sac can keep going.

This and other TV shows have hope if you can make a difference.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, Lisette.

Next we have Dennis, followed by David and Sue.

Yep.

One of these.

Either works.

They're both live.

Cool.

Hello, commissioners.

My name is Dennis.

I do public access radio for about 26 years off and on, occasionally TV.

It kind of had a big effect on my life, and you've heard personal stories here about why it should continue.

So I hope you really will consider the vote and give us time to maybe come up with something.

I mean, there's gotta be a way.

We've funded it before.

And there's uh there's always been concerts here, a lot of entertainment, a lot of bands.

I've had them on my show.

There's probably things we can do with them, you know, bring people in.

And uh funding, hopefully, too, to keep everything going.

Um I probably could wax on about how my birthday just happens to be World Radio Day.

It came after me, big coincidence.

I wasn't anyone who decided that.

But um another one is uh November 13th is uh the anniversary of public access.

And it's Shane Carpenter's birthday.

He was co-founder with Ron Carpenter.

And uh I think it should continue.

I mean, it means so much to so many people, and me myself.

Um to do something would be uh great.

So if you'll consider uh that when you think of the budget vote.

So thank you, Dennis.

I have David followed by Sue and Joshua Weeks.

Hi, good afternoon, David Lowe, the president of KVIE.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak on this topic.

We all share the goal of serving Sacramento County residents with transparent accessible information and civic engagement.

I understand budget pressures and the need to steward public funds carefully.

But the 5% franchise fee exists because cable companies use the public's rights of way.

Those dollars were meant to return value to the entire community, not just to municipal budgets.

As long as there are cable revenues, there has to be a better path than what was presented earlier today.

A loss of funding is a big blow to KVI's public media service, but for our fellow PEG licensees, losing this funding isn't just difficult, it's existential.

Their channels are the only unfiltered voices for neighborhoods and schools that commercial outlets overlook.

If they close, those voices are gone for good.

In addition to the 5% fee, California Public Utilities Code Section 5870 subdivision N requires that the 1% peg fee be used only for community media capital needs, not just a single government channel.

I urge you to pause this shift and explore a balanced policy, one that keeps peg operators viable.

Please protect the public's investment and the community voices that depend on it.

A short delay for thoughtful policy is a small price to keep Sacramento civic conversation alive.

Thank you for your consideration.

Thank you, David.

Uh, next we have Sue, followed by Joshua and then Sean.

Sue, the floor is yours.

Uh thank you very much.

Uh, my name is Subusky.

I'm the president of the Busky Group.

We are a cable communications consulting firm who works with local governments and peg access community centers across the country.

For more than 40 years, I've worked with local officials and peg access operations, witnessing first-hand community media strength, how it strengthens civic engagement, provides workforce development, amplifies local storytelling, and promotes govern government transparency, and particularly just what you have heard for the last two hours, and I know it's long, okay.

You've learned what is happening here in this community and the impact that it is having in this community.

Peg access is partially funded by thieves, as David said, paid by cable companies to local governments, essentially rent for the use of the public property.

However, this rent has been declining because of cord cutting, but it's also been declining because of decisions from cable companies like consolidated communications to discontinue traditional cable TV services while continuing to use public infrastructure for other video services without compensating the public for that access.

I share the commission's concern about the erosion of cable funding and its impact on community media.

Unfortunately, however, the proposed budget solution that you've put forward.

Dismantles 40 years of what the commission's been doing.

The very services in local content that have been delivered by Access Sacramento, by SECC, by KVT KVIE, will be gone away if your budget proceeds in the manner that is currently recommended.

Other cities have, in fact, encountered the very same situations, but they've taken a far more collaborative approach to problem solving.

They work directly with their community media service providers to reimagine service delivery in a very new and different way.

And that's something that I've had the privilege of working with these cities and towns across the country for many years.

Sacramento County can do the same thing.

And there's time to do that very same thing.

A cooperative strategy can preserve your legacy, improve operational efficiency, and ensure financial sustainability.

Let me give you a few specific specific examples before I end today.

Number one, establish an equitable revenue sharing model in multi-year agreements that allocate a fixed percentage of franchise fees and peg fees to the licensees and to Metro 14 or some consolidated entity to ensure predictable support.

Unify peg access, government access, and educational access under a single entity.

This has been done in a lot of places.

For instance, in Marin County, community media marin oversees all peg access services, including 18, 80,000 hours, excuse me, 8,000 hours of government meeting coverage annually for 32 agencies in 10 cities and the county.

Give you 10 seconds to wrap it up.

In closing, I gladly offer my services to the commission and the licensee on a pro bono basis to explore sustainable solutions, ensure Sacramento County and its residents continue to benefit from transparent, accessible, hyper-local media.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

Yeah, sure it was, huh?

Uh Joshua Weeks, followed by Sean and Robert Moren.

All right.

Good evening, everyone.

My name is Joshua Weeks, and I am a proud educator here in Sacramento, and I was fortunate to be the Sacramento County Teacher of the Year last year.

I think in part of the uh that is in huge part to my skill set that I have learned from SCC.

I've had the pleasure for working with them for the past five years closely, and I cannot begin to express how much it has meant to my students and my district's community.

Because of SCC, my students have seen history in the making from sharing and filming on the youngest soccer player to join SAC Republic to meeting professional news anchors and working with Mr.

Richard Sharp from Fox Forty News and seeing an actual news studio being on present.

My students have been able to literally literally on the sidelines to see our incredible military pilots at an annual air show, which was very, very loud but incredible.

These are once-in-a-lifetime experiences for my students, and SCC has made all of this possible.

But it goes even deeper.

SEC has opened the door to media and journalism for students as young as kindergarten.

And I'm telling you right now, there's nothing cuter to seeing a kindergartner report the weather.

It's adorable.

They've learned how to use cameras, edit videos, and tell their own stories.

Even some of my students who want to feel checked out can tell me their dreams, and some of them, and actually too many of them will tell me they want to be YouTubers or influencers now.

And now at least they have the skill set to actually make those dreams a reality.

In uh a time when news, arts, and media programs are often pushed aside.

SCC has given my students a reason to stay engaged through the CIBRA awards, they have been inspired to create, to express themselves, and to see that their voices matter and their ideas are important.

These opportunities truly change lives.

They give students confidence, they give them skills and experiences that go far beyond the classroom that I teach.

That's why I believe SEC's work is so important.

All these programs' works are so important, and they don't just deserve to be supported.

They deserve to be nurtured.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr.

Weeks.

Sean H.

followed by uh Robert and then uh Sean K.

Good afternoon, Commissioners.

Um, thank you for hearing us today.

I actually am uh parent of a public school student, and I'm here.

I would like to share some of my time.

Excuse my voice too.

I'm sorry, I have the flu.

You're totally good.

We can hear you.

I apologize.

Um I'd like to share some of my time with uh some of the other parents.

We just found out about this really uh yesterday, and several of the parents wanted to show their support but couldn't make it.

So uh just briefly Keith and Ruffle um Zengaro, Tiffany and Elliot Renard, Jessica and Stella Pine, Manuel and Cruz Avarez, um, Heather Wong, Quentin Chan, Ruby Chan, uh Powering Nally, Mike Say, Gina No, Maddie and Olive, say Ellen Martin and Gus and Lucille Martin.

I know that uh some of the fellow parents have sent in dozens of emails.

Um, like I said, this was just in a couple of days.

Um, I don't need to repeat a lot of what these other students, uh parents and community members have said, obviously, um, and I'm here to speak on SECC, but obviously this program is extremely valuable.

Um, as a former PTO treasurer, I want to speak to the benefit that their expertise gives to us as a school community.

Um, we want to invest in our kids primarily so our kids can learn and be inspired and we can inspire their spark.

But what SECC offers is an opportunity for our kids to see that their voices matter.

Um, and then to celebrate those voices at the end.

Their support, their training of the teachers, it doesn't just affect one student.

When you train a teacher, you train an entire generation.

So that investment pays off multifold.

Um, their expertise in terms of what equipment to purchase and how to manage this equipment is something that our teachers don't have the time for.

They're putting that time into our students.

So, in terms of investments in our community, as a just a simple public student um parent, I want you to know how very important this is.

And uh, you know, we're paying attention and we're also willing to do what needs to happen if you give them the time to be able to make the funding gap.

So we can help them take this off from there, but we need you to help them bridge that gap.

So thank you.

Thank you, Sean.

Next, we have uh Robert, followed by Sean, and then Alexander.

All right.

Uh thank you to the cable commission.

I want to start by saying we appreciate your support over the last 40 years, and thank you, Mr.

Chairman, for the opportunity to speak here today.

Um, my name is Robbie Morin.

I'm a small business owner on the north side of town.

But when I was much younger, and as my girlfriend likes to tell me, my hair was much less gray, I worked at Access Sacramento.

Uh, I worked there for a couple years, and then shortly, or yeah, shortly after I sat on the board for quite a few more years.

Admittedly, when I started working at Access SAC, I needed a job.

Uh, but shortly, once I got in there, I realized how valuable the mission that Access was executing on was giving voice to the voiceless.

And there's a couple groups that I zeroed in on that were very important to kind of what won my heart for Access Sacramento.

There's certainly the let's say the elderly who come to Access Sacramento who are trying to learn how to exist in a digital environment.

And they've accumulated all this wisdom over the years, and they get to come into Access Sacramento, learn new skills, and express themselves, and that's that's something that should be preserved in our communities.

But then there's the youth.

Uh we've heard some of their stories here today.

Uh, but you know, we they face uh a conundrum many of us face in our youth, and that is that when you go, let's say you want to get a job in video production, and all of a sudden you go to apply for these jobs, and they all require three years experience.

Well, Access Sacramento is that resource in the region that gives the youth the ability to get in there and gain that experience.

So that's what won my heart for Access Sacramento and for the PEG licensees commissioners.

But I think you guys don't have a heart problem.

I think for the most part, you guys want to do good in the community and you want these to exist.

You guys probably have a math problem.

You have a budget issue.

And so I want to share a little bit about my experience when I sat on the board and talked to other peg stations around our country.

One of the things that I learned.

I learned that Sacramento tends to have a bit of a unique flavor to everything that it does, and it's no difference here.

When you call some of the peg stations on the East Coast, they combine their public, their educational and their government channels into just one entity.

And so I don't know if that has been considered by the commission or perhaps by the licensees, but I want to take this opportunity to express that I think that is a pathway forward.

With your current budgets, what you do is effectively kill the mission of these different licensees.

If you were to consolidate them, they wouldn't be at full strength, certainly, but you would be able to preserve the mission that I think is so valuable to our community.

With that, I want to thank you so much, and that's all I got.

Thank you, Robbie.

Next, we've got Sean Kaye, followed by Alexander Vasquez, and then Harper.

So I gotta throw my gum away real fast.

Not a problem.

We won't hold it against you.

And I'm gonna try to stay away from these since somebody had the flu.

But thank you for showing up with the flu.

And thank you guys for sticking around.

Really important to us that you know, um, listen to us and hear our voices.

Uh, my name's Sean Kilcoin.

I'm a current producer of a show on Access Sacramento called Chowder Heart and Family TV.

Kind of a strange name, I know.

Um, but I'm stuck with it, and I love it.

Um before that it was Chowder Hard and Friends TV, but this opportunity this year, had the opportunity uh to bring my children into it.

Um, and then through this, we've had the opportunity to, you know, develop something very cool.

Uh we wrote a script uh for a place called Sacramento, and we got chosen.

So we ended up getting uh, you know, the chance to make a movie.

My daughter's 25.

This is her first chance to be a director.

Uh in addition, this year, my son who's 13 has had the opportunity to join me on my show as a as a consultant as a news reporter.

Um, he was actually one of the first news reporters on Puppetville News when I was producing it.

Um, so both Alice myself um and Arlo are actively involved in you know making stuff at um Access Sacramento.

Um so I don't have much time, and I'm obviously didn't prepare because we didn't really have enough time for that, right?

Just we're here all trying to speak our voice, and that's what I want to do with my show, is actually give the voice to the people to the voices that don't have voices, to the marginalized community, uh to the queer community, which I don't see any shows around that, you know, uh specifically and what whatever your opinions are about the queer and trans community doesn't matter right now, but we need to hear about their voices, right?

So when we lose these programs and we lose places like Access Sacramento, we silence those voices.

You know, uh 27 years ago now, I had the opportunity to go to uh Munich, Germany.

I was a kid, I had no idea.

I went to the beer.

Um, but I did get a chance to go to Dachau.

And it's a horrible place, and why they kept it, you know, I was baffled as an American.

Why would you keep something like this around?

Um what I learned though that it wasn't just Jewish people that were targeted, but it was trans people and it was gay people, right?

But as an American, that memo didn't get to me until I went over there.

Um, so anyways, for those voices, for the trans community for the gay community for marginalized voices.

We need to figure out ways to say yes to funding places like Access Sacramento and stop saying no and stop saying we can't, and so let's start saying what we can do.

Because this is how it begins.

This is how the silencing of free speech begins in America.

Okay, so let's vote no on this and let's postpone it.

Thank you.

Thank you, Sean.

I've got um uh Mr.

Vasquez.

Yes, fantastic.

Followed by Harper and then Owen.

Thank you very much for that.

Um my name is Alexander Vasquez.

I have been involved with Access Sacramento for about 25 years.

A lot of these people back here have are my friends, I've known them for a long time, and that just shows you the longevity and the belief of Access Sacramento and the rest of the other stations, the licensees.

What I am asking is that you delay a vote on this so that maybe the licensees and access can have a business strategy to try to keep community media going.

Not just one organization, but comedian comedia, community media going.

And the reason I say that is because even though we lost KUBU radio, we adapted with KUBU radio, we just didn't have voices that were lost.

We also brought, I'm used to a radio macrophone, so that's why I'm hitting everything.

So, but the idea was that we also brought in nonprofits that started their own programming.

We brought in politicians that were never going to get media attention, and I brought them into my show and to other shows.

Um propositions.

I even had a presidential candidate of last election come on my show, Chase Oliver for the Libertarian Party.

So we're we have we have we have significance, we have relevance, and I think that if we can just change the business strategy on some of this and can and continue with community media going, because a lot of these kids nowadays, they do everything from this.

They don't need us, but one thing they don't have, the advantage we do have in some of these organizations, is that we have facilities, we have a place for them to go where they meet different people, where they meet different ideas.

They come up with creative ideas, they do projects together, and there's a certain fraternity that happens that when you run into these people years later, they go, You're on you're on my show, you were the camera person, you were the light person, you were this.

So there's a special fraternity that happens that you can't get anywhere else.

So all I'm asking is that um, everybody's talked about losing voices and everything like that.

Well, this changes to let's change the business strategy on this, because right now, this government's changing, America's changing, the media is changing, there's a lot of things going on, and uh we have a bunch of elections coming up, and these kinds of organizations give the ones who are never going to get the big time TV ads and interviews, but we give it to them.

So with that, I thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Vasquez.

Uh do we have do we have Harper in the House?

Yes, we do.

We've got Harper followed by Owen, uh, and then Chef Hales.

Yeah.

Shalom, I am Harper Brand, a 17-year-old high school student at Umoja International Academy, UIA, and a member at Access Sacramento.

And I'm here to come to plea that ATS should remain, or Access should retain their um current budget, or at least to suspend the vote.

And I want to tell a story of how ATS saved me from being kicked out of my school.

So for contents, I go to an IB school, which means international baccalaureate, and we have something called the personal project, which you do in 10th grade, which you create a product that's in your interest but outside your comfort zone.

And if you don't get a high enough grade on it, you will not be allowed to attend the school any further because you've shown that you're no longer able to keep up with the road the workload that they have.

And I made a video essay using ATSA Sacramento's studio equipment and as well as um their education for how to do this.

It helps me with the tech issues, the education and the knowledge for me to be able to create this project.

And it's giving me so many opportunities to get into the world of production.

And also it's helped my school because we've had AtSys come over to my school for a career day to explain how they do their job to all of our students, even though it's only around like 500 students.

Um they helped me like really nail down that I want to advance my career into the into production.

And without them, I wouldn't have been able to do this because I learned important teamwork skills, techniques, and conversation workarounds that really helped me further myself down.

And it also helps with free speech because as someone who grew up in a low-income household, I was never able to afford cable.

So I never watched cable.

But Access has free free channels that allow people to you to show their creative visions to a greater scale.

And I just feel that's very important in order to keep up the positive outlook Sacramento has on accepting people and accepting who they are for what they are.

And I just want to say that you I'm asking to not cut their budget or at the very least postpone your vote.

Um thank you for listening.

Thank you so much, Harper.

We've got Owen, followed by Chef Hales and Jeff McPhee.

Hi, Commission, thank you for letting me speak.

The uh first thing I want to say is I want to thank you for the recent funding that you guys have given us for three shows, Operation PTSD, Powerhouse Podcast, and uh the one that Kevin Papineau talked about, the capital coal cases.

I'm involved in all three of those projects, and I'm really thankful for you guys to provide that funding that's allowing us to develop those.

Um I've been at uh Sacramento Live TV for 18 years, and then I've been collaborating with Access Sacramento for just as much time on many different projects, even did like two short films with a place called Sacramento, and recently we've been filming the Powerhouse podcast at their studios.

So I'm just really grateful to everyone in the community and also want to echo the sentiments of everybody here today.

Also, all the stories from SECC have really moved me.

Uh, it's like I can't believe I haven't gotten involved with them over this time.

But uh the one I really just come here today to have like two questions.

Um, the first is to give a little background.

We lost an entire cable uh channel recently, uh consolidated communications.

They gave us a 30-day notice and the cable, we just lost that channel entirely, you know, in 30 days.

And so my questions today are like do you have any indication on when Comcast or ATT will do the same thing, which we know that's probably gonna be coming.

So do you guys have any indication and who can we talk to about that to strategize?

And then the other question would be we have like three states that are proposing bills uh for a franchise tax on streaming and video on demand.

So are we doing anything like that in California?

I know uh you know, usually Massachusetts and California are on the leading edge of that, and I would be willing to help with that.

Um I really, if anyone wants to get together and talk, like Sue and uh Robert specifically had solutions, you know, solution-based thinking, that's where I'm at too.

So I'm willing to help and uh get involved in any way I can.

So thank you.

Thank you, Owen.

It's got to work.

All right, Chef Hales, you're up.

Please take your time.

I don't think we need a second comment slip for the dog.

Oh, Damers will let you know.

Oh, yeah.

I mean, enter the opportunity.

All right.

Thanks, guys.

Of course.

Uh right here.

Uh, yes, slightly to your left and forward in front of the mics.

My wife and the back is Pastor Roxy.

Thank you so much, Clerk.

Danvers.

And we are the producer of our own radio shows.

My wife is this is your season radio.

Mine is Food Talk with Chef Ernesto.

And the reason why I'm here is because people need us.

People really, really, they really listen to Food Talk with Chef Ernesto.

We have a lot of people in other countries that always communicate with us.

People ask me questions.

People recognize me in line when they when I'm paying for my groceries.

Oh, you Chef Ernesto.

Then we start talking about how to put a pie dough together.

So my thing is that we talk about food.

We talk about me.

I went blind uh about eight years ago.

I still cook dinner every night.

I cook professionally for over 50 years.

Started in the army.

I was a teacher at the Institute of Technology, which was the number one cooking school at that time.

And I'm able to you know that food makes a certain sound when it's done, especially meat.

Most people don't know that because you see everything, and you don't have to worry about listening or hearing.

On my show, you can you can discover that.

We do, I can do on my show, or even at my house, I can do a I'm not vegan, but I have a lot of vegan alternatives, and I will do for you a an eggs benedict, totally vegan, everything.

Anything, plant milk, plant eggs, everything, plant based meat, everything.

You can come to my house and and enjoy lunch, enjoy dinner, no meat at all.

I'm a carnivore, so excuse me, I'm gonna have a fat steak.

Fat as I possibly can, but my thing is that everybody should enjoy their food.

I uh I uh how do you say I uh interview chefs?

I interview some of the top chefs in in this area, and even across the country.

I interview top chefs all the time.

And their thing, my thing is for them to try to outdo me on recipes.

Well, I like to be able to, I like to be able to discuss mixing techniques when we're baking.

Uh, you take your dry ingredients, your flour, your baking powder, your salt and little sugar over the side.

You take your eggs and separate them, set the whites aside, and you uh with a little oil and some milk, and you mix that together with this.

Okay, I'm almost finished.

Mix that together with this, and then you fold the egg whites, you whip the egg whites into a meringue, fold them together into the into the other mixture, pour them into a hot, hot oil uh uh waffle iron, and when the steam starts, it's starting to cook.

And meanwhile, you take an empty pot and you put some blueberry sugar and butter in and let it cook until it becomes uh, let it cook it because it comes a syrup now.

Once the steam stops on a waffle iron, two more minutes, you're done your waffles are done.

Take those blueberries because you got a blueberry door right now.

You pour that over your waffles, and man, I'm telling you, you're gonna have a fight if somebody touches your food for real.

So we talk, I'm sorry.

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

And this is the way we do on Food Talk with Chef Ernesto.

Hold on.

Okay.

I am so hungry, but I am gonna have to ask you to wrap it up.

What the heck?

If you guys won't know, maybe I will.

Hilarious.

Thank you, Chef.

But I gotta tell you though, I really we have to say no on this thing because it is more than just us.

When on food talk with Chef Ernesto, we talk about safety and food cooking.

Um, the internal temperature of a chef, I am so sorry, I'm gonna have to ask it 10 seconds to wrap it up.

No problem.

Should be 145 degrees.

The internal temperature of a turkey should be 165 degrees.

And we want people to know that.

Cook safe with food talk with Chef Ernesto.

Enjoy your food.

Thank you, Chef.

Chef's and I are gonna split.

Thank you.

All right, let's go.

And for our final speaker this evening, I'm so sorry you have to follow Chef Ernesto.

Um, but we have Jeff McPhee.

I did my job.

Oh my god.

I don't know how to.

I don't know how to follow that.

I'm hungry.

Best of luck, sir.

Um, so most of the things I want to talk about have already been covered.

But um, I work for Notomash Unified School District as our digital media specialist.

I work, I partner a lot with uh SEC team uh for all kinds of things for the last 10 years, and they've been phenomenal partners at our school district, and I think they serve at the same um stage with almost every district in the in the area.

So uh if they were to go away, that would really be a big hole to fill.

Um, my career started out in Access Sacramento.

I I was uh I I produced a couple of movies, and that led to my career and getting hired at Natoma's Unified School District, and I've been there 10 years.

Um and these are stepping stones building blocks to hiring people, building skill sets.

Um, and I think we'd be a huge hole if they were uh to go away.

So the their team's great, you're not gonna put them back together if they go away easily.

Um, and I would encourage you to do the right thing and delay the vote.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Jeff.

And that concludes our public comment.

Um, before I turn it over to my fellow commissioners, I want to thank everybody for making the time to come to an extremely long and usually somewhat boring commission meeting to make your voices heard.

Um, and I want you to know that you have been heard and that we are looking forward to discussing.

And I believe the first person cued up uh is our vice chair, uh, Mr.

Gatewood.

All right.

Um so I want to make this a little bit interactive.

First, thank you for all your information.

Um, I'm probably one of the oldest board members up here, and that's a shame.

Um about six years ago, we got on the board.

The board was always being sued by Comcast.

It was just our thing.

That's what we like to get due.

Um we actually went to DC to try to fight when they decided to figure the loophole, which was the minute they took Comcast cable and put it on the line, we found out that they turned it streaming, and by saying streaming, we could no longer charge them peg fees because they're getting all their data over internet.

I thought that was a crazy way to twist the law, but I lost.

And so that battle that we are talking about, they're trying to pass right now.

We were actually one of the first people down there because we had tech people like me that were on the board that were like, yeah, we gotta get in front of this.

Um, I just first want to say we don't want to cut anything.

So let's start there.

But we realize that the money is about to run out and shrinking it down slowly over time.

I am totally okay with kicking the can a little bit and letting you have a chance.

Um it costs a hundred.

Please please don't clock.

I love all the applause.

You're not gonna like my my set.

Um, but it is a hundred thousand dollars every time we we go to another meeting.

Um, Sophia, come up to the stage.

Come on, come on.

So you talked about uh marketing efforts.

I actually understood that we a long time ago gotten thrown of our peg group and said we're gonna run out of money.

So what are we doing to make it so government have this does government doesn't take it away with?

So what so you told me you're doing some stuff and you sat with Narissa.

What dollar amounts and how long would it take you with your marketing effort before you didn't need us?

Because this commission's going away regardless if I want it or not.

Do I join her?

Yes, you may.

Thank you.

So tell me, like two, three years is just uh a number.

What are we doing on the private sector to try to accommodate this?

Because we have to get private sector in here.

There's no way government's gonna be able to sustain this, and this is a hopeful projection.

We may lose them, we may want to keep it, but in less than a year, there might not be any money.

Because we're already cutting all the fees, we're already defunding all the cities that basically funded this thing.

So they're they they you know, the cities are gone.

Rancho, Citrus sites, elkgrove is not putting in any money anymore.

So that money's gone, and I don't, and none of us cities are trying to retain that.

So we're just trying to keep it long.

So how much what you're saying three?

I don't think you're gonna have that.

So what do you think what what?

If I was you're like, Garrett, we are month by month, we're looking at we're gonna be able to replace you guys in like a year.

Is that what you're seeing?

Probably more like a year and a half.

Year and a half, yes, because we, as I mentioned earlier, back in June, our board and it had a strategic planning meeting based on that very idea that within two to three years we could run out of money.

Right.

Right.

And I acknowledged that in the last commission meeting as well, because we were seeing the same thing that Sean had brought up.

Yeah, it's even worse than that.

Because, like, there the the Comcast is finding ways around it.

Sure, we had the federal government just defunding everything like it's hot cakes, right?

So we're looking at less time.

So, if I said if we could, and because my account the people aren't here, so we're gonna kick this anyways.

I'm just curious because I have everyone trapped in a room and um and we don't have waffles.

Shame on you, Chef.

Like, why would you do that?

Hey, you know what?

A delicious burger with extra bacon.

Are you hungry?

It's dinner time.

Let's keep talking about it.

Why would you do that to me, sir?

Shame on you.

All right.

So are we looking like a year?

If I if I like if I could pull it, because I can't just fund one of you guys.

That's not fair.

Absolutely.

Like, is it a year?

Well, I think in a year, because one of the things that we are facing is there was no previous previous effort on my predecessors to go out and do any kind of outreach to any other individuals and grant money.

I I totally get it.

I was with your predecessor being like, you see that it's gone, right?

And that's the thing.

It's like I it's not a surprise.

We've been begging our channel partners to stand because we're like, we can only keep this boat afloat for so long before it insolvents, right?

And then we don't, and and the thing is, and and I'm not only responsible for the these people, and of course, uh making sure people can see their constituents and everything because we don't want to have a governance that's not open.

I'm concerned about employees that we help to fund because it's not right if all of a sudden the money's gone in six months and you still have employees that could have been looking for jobs.

Everyone needs to know the lookout block is like there's nothing left.

So if we stretched it like a year, are you saying, like, okay, now we can get it, or if you give us a year and a half, we realize that we're gonna have to go down to like if I was like, okay, then you're at zero, right?

Would you be able to survive?

I think so.

Because here's the thing that we've already started looking at.

So one of the things that we recognize is there's a lot of after school program money available for work for both workforce development within high schools and also extending the media education that we've already done with the schools that have it.

So Rancho in Folsom Cordova really use the Seva program, right?

I don't want to lose that.

I mean, of course they're broke too.

But I mean, so we've been working right.

So we've been working with SCOE to figure out how we can access those dollars because they're after school programs right now that are still basically um glorified babysitting.

Right.

And those schools there are schools looking for opportunities for their kids to be able to learn other things, and so one of the things that we believe we can step into is teach that.

So that's just one thing.

We've never done any kind of grant writing.

So we've got grant writing right now where we're looking at where we can fund some kind of that workforce development projects to be able to teach kids in high school and possibly even work with Access SAC to be able to teach them these skills that they're already starting to learn within these media education programs.

Um we're starting to we've actually created a list of um businesses that we can go out to for sponsorship dollars, um, other kind of backing.

Um, what we the other thing we're doing is we're looking at how we can provide further services and training to teachers who have told us they want more hands-on training and they're actually willing to pay for it.

So we're starting to launch that first training program in a couple of weeks.

Um, they're willing to pay, you know, three four hundred dollars a crack for us to be able to spend a weekend with them to give them the hands-on training that they're not they're still not comfortable with some of the equipment that they get.

I did and also just so you know, a lot of the spare money we used to give out, that's probably gonna go away too.

Like the people that would just be able to get a grant.

Right.

Because what we gotta go is back to our our roots.

Our roots was making sure that governance isn't done in a secret society where no one can see it.

So we we're trying to maintain that, and then the second part when it was starting in 1981 was to try to keep these non-profit um channels, so we want that money to go.

So, but if we can squish it down, because anything we spend up front, we have to clip off in the end.

And so that you know, you understand absolutely what we're trying to get to.

So, Ron, you're in the back.

Is it year and a half enough time for you to get enough churches and and nonprofit groups to come on.

This is a workshop.

This is we're done with this.

You made me sit here for a while.

What's the question?

Do you think a year and a half is enough time for you to get the churches and the bigger ones involved enough to fund this?

Because you're only taking 20 grand.

Well, we're t we're trying to take uh our I think our funding was for 60 or 70, is what we're asking for.

Is that enough to get the the sack faith the groups and all the groups?

Let me tell you where we are right now.

And this is I'm looking at the big picture.

Because of our unique position of being not been funded in the past.

Right.

We're kind of in a good position right now because we're already funded by our churches to keep us going.

My operation costs are already taken care of outside of this.

What I use your money for is to help us build our programming so we can bring in viewers.

The idea what we're trying to do is we know that the funding's gonna come to an end in the short time that you're giving us this funding.

You're allowing us to build programming that once we have a library that I go, like for instance, the Capital Coal Case.

Right, you're gonna give us the money to you.

By the way, yeah, super cool idea.

Thank you.

I already wanted to watch it.

Exactly.

Like that's cool.

So yeah.

First of all, that kind of programming is gonna attract viewers to our station.

That's the first thing.

The second thing is by helping us fund that to get one or two seasons done.

Now I can take it.

Now that we've got all the law enforcement involved in that, I can go to them and say, look, we're losing funding for the cable commission.

You have budgeting.

Help us help you, and you budget us.

Same thing goes along with our operation PTSD to help the veterans.

Right now we're putting that together, and this is to help the veterans that aren't getting help.

We're gonna you're helping us fund that, and we're taking that as a pilot episode to streaming services to try to get Operation P D the uh the Veterans Association to help fund that.

So that makes sense.

Shows that you're helping us right now build on.

Yeah, when your funding goes away, we're gonna take those that we have examples for now and take them to the organizations that they will help and have them fund us, and that's our plan.

Okay.

KVIE, come here.

Sorry, pop up.

I'm just trying to run it.

If you were to lose your funding down the way, it's not the most win.

Sorry, I'm sorry.

This I wanted to turn around, but we all know.

When you lose your funding, it's not the most critical piece to where you close down from it, correct?

Correct.

So if I needed to fund because you're a good partner, and if we had to string along, maybe giving a little bit more money to the smaller guys, you would still be okay, right?

Define okay.

Uh, not great.

Well, no, what I'm saying is I'll have some flashbacks right now because you talked about losing funding, and I think we're all aware of you know the two year decision that we've already lost.

So I'm not getting two and a half million dollars from the federal government in October that I had already planned for.

So it's done by a thousand cuts.

It really is.

I don't want to put words in your mouth, but I think what you're talking about is a runway, right?

And I'm trying to ability acting too is this sudden change.

Right, and and and I'm trying to find the best way forward, and we all know none of us want to cut public or we wouldn't be on this thing.

So we're trying to figure out like who's dying if I cut them this way and who can last the longer.

So if you were to get like 35% and they were to get 40, you would still be able to on that end of the runway thing, and it's not as critical that you, even though the federal government is slicing you all the bits right now.

I understand.

Okay, cool.

Okay.

Appreciate it.

Um, Donna.

I want to get today's and we'll see what we can get on to this.

All right.

Give me 30 seconds and then you can have it back.

All yours.

All right.

Um I'm afraid I'm afraid we have a greater pain.

We can bring in about a hundred thousand dollars in addition to what you pay us.

If we get rid of game of the week, we could save ninety thousand dollars.

So there's almost two hundred thousand in savings, and and well, yeah, we in revenue and in savings ninety thousand.

Okay.

If you give us free rent, I've already asked the city for free rent.

They were obviously said no.

Which city?

If you got uh City of SAC, we pay sixty thousand.

We'll give them free rent.

Yeah, we give you a 60 grand.

We pay we basically support the Kim Coloma Community Center with our sixty thousand dollars.

So they're gonna lose us, we're losing our our lease anyway.

So I've been on the hunt for uh a town that is willing to give us two thousand uh square feet.

That's all you need.

Um maybe a little more if we could have a little kitchen and and would it include a free game of the week.

Um, if you got free rent.

Say that again.

Talk if you would you get a would we get a free game of the week?

Would we would could we be the only game of the week?

Yeah, with a sing single videography.

Could the Cordova Lancers become amazing and uh be the only one shown on that game of the week every week?

I listen, it's rent.

Who's here from Folsom?

No, and it's a nobody, surprise.

So what happens is basically.

We'd have to still come up with $700,000 in order to maintain two channels.

If we joined with SECC and each one of us had one channel, there might be some uh, you know, you could have one executive director.

So you're just I'm retiring, so you know there's things that can happen, but they're conversations that have to happen with the commission.

So I I desperately need at least I can make some changes in our programming, but in order to continue education and have the podcasting and TV studio available, I would need like 740 or 750,000 just to keep the location available to the community.

And I'm probably gonna regret what I'm saying because I probably need more.

If we go away and we were able to when we go away, sorry, let me let me talk in the real.

When we go away, and if we were able to stretch our dollars out and give you a year, would you be able to find that 700,000?

Or is that just a is that just uh because from the private sector, I'm not sure because the environment is changing at such a dramatic pace.

We are the perfect organization to get a county and or city grant for a job development, right?

We have a media lab, we have teachers, we have all the right Adobe Suite equipment.

You know, if we had a post prison or unemployed relationship with one of the cities to teach people the appropriate media skills, that's what we've been looking for.

And of course, grants are becoming really thin.

So in a perfect world, I'd be successful in doing that.

I have not been successful in getting major donors.

Unlike SECC, we've been literally since I started thumping for money, right?

We're looking for alternate uh sources of revenue.

Okay.

Saving our rent would help.

Thank you.

Okay.

Just saying, man.

Just saying.

That's you.

Mm-hmm.

Thank you, Mr.

Vice Chair, and thank you, everybody who he called up to the podium.

Um, and so next up, uh, we have uh Commissioner Gold.

Hi, everybody.

Um I think we've had a little bit more opportunity to review the the proposed budget and get briefings from uh uh our the director and and the staff here.

So uh that sort of benefited us, and we we looked at it in a way that you know 25% over each quarter kind of sounded like a reasonably equitable and fair way to do it and uh accomplish the goal of uh kind of reducing the pain up front, or reducing the pain and and extending the runway, right?

Keeping this commission uh going longer and lasting.

Um I want to acknowledge the the students, the high school students, the younger kids, and the and the teachers who have all come up to to speak their mind, and I know how hard that is to come up and speak at a dais in front of everybody.

Um, it was really inspiring.

Um I want you to know that your voices are heard.

I I feel like I'm moved enough to to want to suggest that we postpone this vote, which may happen anyway now.

Um, but I also want to acknowledge that I I liked hearing that there were other creative ideas out there uh possibly consolidating resources and uh looking at at private revenue streams, kind of knowing what this commission is facing in the future.

So um thank you.

You're heard.

I'd I'd like to just acknowledge that, and yeah, appreciate it.

Thank you so much.

Uh Commissioner Hatches.

Excellent.

Thank you.

Um, thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um, just want to um talk briefly.

I'm a so you didn't need to convince me that uh I'm fan of uh of your channels.

Uh I'm a big fan, and this uh this whole industry is very impactful to me.

Uh I went to school at Barrett middle school and I went to the television class, and that sparked a love.

I know I didn't follow that career, um, but that's my passion.

I mean, so I I mean I have a pretty successful YouTube channel I never talk about.

I mean, because I like editing videos.

I'm the filmer and editor for all my kids' sports teams to make all the parents have these cool highlights.

I mean, I love this stuff.

Um, and so that's why I'm so sad to see this happening today.

Um, to see this.

I mean, no matter what, we're gonna be running out of money.

I mean, this this commission itself will be gone eventually unless we start figuring out a way to pump money into it, which isn't realistic.

We only have one revenue stream.

Um, and if we run out of money, the cities will just split off like they were before.

I mean, this is the re reality of where we're at.

Um, and I'm a little concerned because I would love I want to double everybody's uh everything everybody's asked for instead of cutting things.

That's what I want to do.

I can't.

Um, and that's where I'm stuck.

And I'm stressed because I'm sitting here and I'm watching us discuss these things, and I know every time we talk about kicking things out, it's an earlier death for what we do.

And that's a that's a painful death because what we provide is public access to our meetings, a very core essential service for transparency of government, um, and something as somebody that works in the public sector, um, that I I put an extreme high value on that service.

And having discussions about trying to say, let's give a little more money, let's be compassionate about it.

I'm compassionate.

But we're killing it earlier, and I don't want to see that.

Uh so I'm quite frankly, I'm not in support of kicking things down the road.

You know, I I I want to figure out how to preserve this commission so we can keep having transparency for government um for as long as possible.

Ideally indefinitely, I don't think that's possible, but as long as possible.

Um, and so that's where I'm at.

I'm I'm sorry that uh that's my perspective, but it's a zero-sum game here.

We don't have extra money.

We'll never get more revenue here.

Um, and it's slowly dwindling.

Um and sadly, eight years ago when I got on this commission and we were talking about these things, these same discussions were happening.

We all knew this would happen.

Everyone in this room knew this would happen because it was openly talked about about when this ramp down would happen, when we would have to shut shop.

And it was very obvious once we saw that the trends were happening, and not just happening, but accelerating.

Um, and so it's not shocked to me.

I don't think it's shocked anybody up here.

Um, and the people that have been watching these meetings for for many years now, as we've pledg people to try to get some self-sustainability, um, so that this moment wouldn't be so dreadful.

Um, and sadly that's where we're at.

Um so those are my thoughts.

Thank you, Commissioner.

I have uh Commissioner Riley.

Yeah, I'll just uh read away a lot of what's been said, which is appreciate everyone's time.

I I know it's been a long uh long evening now, um, and afternoon, and really appreciate everyone coming out advocating, sharing their stories.

Um I don't want to kick the can way down the road, but I am okay waiting until our our next meeting to have a vote on this and postponing a vote to until then.

I think one of the things that um is of concern is how late notice folks got and kind of were caught by surprise.

Um I think even just having a few more months to sit down, discuss things, have meetings with our staff.

Um, I think another thing that would be helpful is maybe for staff to go and talk to some partners, including SCOBI.

Um, I understand that some of these organizations maybe don't have the expertise as far as applying for grants, finding funning, funding, doing things like that.

Um that's something that that SCOE, I think does have experience with.

We've seen them come and express their concerns, and I think they would probably be a willing partner.

I know uh at the county, we've worked with them extensively on doing things like bringing mental health care into schools, and they've been a really valuable partner at going out and helping to find that funding.

So um I think I would at least like to have time um to have those conversations before making this kind of final um really impactful decision.

That being said, it doesn't change the reality of what all the other commissioners have said.

Um we are still gonna have to make tough decisions in December then.

Um these cuts are coming and the funding is running out.

And so um, but but I am in support of at least postponing this vote until December, um, allowing these orgs a little more time to digest this information, see what's out there, and maybe reach out and try and find what partners are doing.

The other thing I think that um I'd appreciate if staff could take a look at is maybe seeing what other cable commissions in the county have done.

Um, and Sue kindly offered to help.

Um I think maybe taking her up on that offer and looking at other examples.

I'm more than happy to steal work from other people if they're doing it well.

Um, and so uh we know you know we can't be the only one going through this.

We know every other cable commission in the county is going through the same thing.

We're all losing our funding.

And so if other folks have good ideas, whether they're you know close here in California or or even other states.

I think comparing counties within the same state is probably easier, but I think that's something that would be helpful to go out and do.

Um, I do want to reiterate it was said uh earlier, but as we were kind of going quickly through the presentation, I think there was some confusion out there about funding still going to municipal budgets, and I just want to be clear that that we ended general fund distribution.

So there isn't funding that's like it used to going back to the counties, going back to the cities.

I just want to be very clear that that isn't happening, and I would also be remiss if I did uh kind of give uh full throated endorsement of our um Sacramento Metro Cable team, our Channel 14 team.

I I think they do amazing work.

Folks are certainly allowed to have other opinions, but they provide a vital resource to the community to make sure that they can see the votes that their council members, their county supervisors, their boards and commissions, so that they have access to that.

It's a crucial element.

I think that team does an amazing job, and really happy to be a part of that and with that all uh and my comments.

Thank you, Commissioner Riley, back to Commissioner Middleton.

Um, we like like everyone said, we knew this is coming.

And when I was put on this board in 2018 when I first got elected, I saw the numbers, I talked to many of your predecessors, many of you, and I we talked about how do we move forward, how do we help you transition?

And 2018 was a while ago.

Um I have a lot more gray hair.

Um, this might be why.

Maybe so, or my 14-year-old.

Um, but the thing about it is is that we can give you a little more runway.

We can give you until December.

It doesn't really change much.

It just makes it more difficult.

We did everything that we could do as a commission.

We've tried to find ways to flatline um, you know, our org charts.

We've tried to find ways to say, okay, we're gonna not take any more um general fund direct payments.

We as cities, we said, and counties, we're gonna we're gonna give it back.

We're just not gonna do it because it doesn't make sense.

We want this to be available to you, and we have been trying so hard to give this really long runway.

This is really it.

We are not we are not just like you know, sitting like it on the runway, we are on the very edge of a tarmac at this point, and I am encouraging all of you to please please reach out, connect, and really work with your communities, work with this commission and the and the leaders here to make sure that you were actually putting yourself in the best position because it's not a matter of, you know, if it's when.

And we cannot predict how much of those peg fees we're gonna get quarter over quarter, year over year.

We've watched that steep decline.

So when you say this came out of nowhere, it really for us it came out of nowhere as well.

We thought that we were getting this much funding from PEG, and then it turns out boom, that's not what we're getting because people stream, things have changed.

I really need you guys to step up and help us to help you.

Thank you, Commissioner.

I got Commissioner Hackett Little.

Thank you, Chair.

Um, I just want to echo uh my commissioners, our fellow commissioners' sentiment uh today.

Uh I think it is incredibly inspiring not to see the uh to be able to see everybody come out today, especially the young people here in the audience and the students who've come out uh to voice their concerns.

Um that is not only critical, but it's also uh important for us to all see the value of public media.

And I don't think that passes anyone here on the commission, the true importance of it, especially in this moment in time in our country as well.

I also just want to echo that, you know, I personally myself was the recipient in high school, middle school of many of the arts programs that allowed me early job training and uh education and civic engagement and critical media literacy as well.

So understanding, and I'm also inspired by the work that you guys, especially our youth have produced in the uh grantee programs that the commission has been able to provide.

Um it sounds like right now the commission is, you know, pretty unanimous in our conversation around postponing this vote.

Um ish uh postponing this vote until our next commission meeting.

But I also want to echo um the perspective as well of what this ramp looks like, and even if this ramp, how long it can be extended, uh what the percentage rates of this gradual decrease might look like, and making sure that our partners as well have as much uh time as possible to be able to cushion uh the blow that this cut in funding is also uh gonna produce and allowing them the ability to be able to function and continue to grow um without uh perhaps our support in the future as well.

Um so with that being said, I just wanted to uh echo that perspective as well.

Thank you, Commissioner.

Um and I've reserved my thoughts till the end to make sure that uh folks have a space to share their feelings, and I I do sense the general consensus, but um my family was too poor for cable growing up.

You're too poor for a lot of things.

I grew up watching KTV, KPBS, and God bless them, San Jose Create TV, Channel 15, and I loved it.

It started my understanding of my my own backyard, my own neighborhood, and my own community.

And I see very thoroughly the impact that our channels have on our community, not only from the hundreds of emails, but also from the folks who spoke today and spoke from their heart.

Um, and I'm going to be, you know, extraordinarily blunt and say, it's almost over, folks.

Um, we have to be real.

This is black and white, numbers on the paper.

We are just about out of money.

Um, and I um I wanted to think back to to 2020 when I was first appointed to this board as representative for Councilmember Mai Vang.

Um, and I remember my very, very, very first meeting, I sat down with the executive director, and I was like, I'm gonna learn, I'm gonna listen.

And the very first thing that I heard in that board meeting was we are almost out of money, um, is that that ramp is going down.

And I actually went back and watched every single Metro Cable Commission meeting since 2020 in the last five days.

Um, I fast forwarded through some parts, don't worry.

Um, and you know what?

Um, three out of every four, there was some degree of commentary about how quickly our funding is going down.

Um, and that's been over the course of almost five years.

And so while I don't feel that this is truly a surprise, um what I do want to say is um I think that we owe our licensees an opportunity to try and fix this.

Um and so I'll also be supporting a postponement um tonight.

Uh, but with the caveat that that is an extremely short time frame to figure this out.

Um, and if there is not an ability to figure it out in that time frame or at least make a meaningful step in that direction, the cutoff may be even more severe at that point.

Like the fact is revenue is declining year over year.

We don't know how quickly it's going to go or how quickly it's going to speed up.

Um, and the longer we kick the can down the road, the harsher the cutoff has to be.

Uh, and so with that knowledge in our heads and knowing that that sword is dangling, yes, I'm okay with postponing this until December to work and to work collaboratively with Donna, with Aaron, with Ron, with everybody and with David, everybody who helps make these channels happen to find a solution, whether that is consolidation, whether that is cost savings, whether that is identification of franchise fees, whether that is listening to Sue.

Um, whether that is whatever increase in revenue, decrease in expense there might be.

Um, but we also have to understand that if we're not able to pull that together, there is going to be a hard cutoff in the next year, uh, to allow the this commission to continue existing at least long enough to provide the core government transparency that we were created and designed to promote.

And so I'm very much looking forward to having these conversations.

Um, and I want to flag that there is a uh additional item.

It's much less interesting, but there's a records management position that I think we may need to approve without actually approving the remainder of the items.

Is that legal?

And how can we do that?

Do you want to go first?

Why don't I explain the importance of the process?

So I've got my my org chart is decimated.

You saw all the vacancies at the bottom.

And you're asking me to take on a workload that involves analytics, quantitatives, qualitatives, and efficiency, including an additional workload in terms of meeting with the channel licensees and helping them navigate this process.

Yes.

So we can pull two standalones out that I would ask for.

One would be the two positions on my R plus the third position, which is which is adding the records manager.

She is an efficiency expert.

I have known her for almost 30 years.

Everywhere we work together, we made things more efficient.

We'll bring that here.

It's not just about the records management, it's about so much more.

But I have two employees who have had to step up since I lost my ASO3, and I'm being asked to bring on this additional workload.

I need them.

I can't work them out of class.

That's not fair to them.

So I would just pull those two items of standalone.

And I believe Josh can address the legal mechanism for that.

Thank you for that, Sean.

And the uh way we can approve that this this evening would be if you can go to the item um five, your resolution of adopting the final fiscal year um general fund budget.

Um essentially that entire resolution would be stricken with the exception starting on the second page, the second um further be it resolved.

We would keep that.

We would also keep the next further be it resolved related to the records management policy, and then we would keep the last further be it resolved and ordered, allowing the executive director to take any actions to carry out purposes of the resolution.

So it would be to strike the entire document with those exceptions.

Thank you so much, Josh.

All right, Josh.

Do you uh I'd like to make a motion?

Could you just repeat everything you just said?

Because there's no way I'm gonna make any of that.

Can I add one clarifying factor?

Please do.

If we extend another quarter, um the calculation will include general fund and some peg money.

Um it's not enough to to throw me off.

I just want to be clear that um it would be a would be a little bit more than what would be just general fund, because it would be a little bit to include the peg money.

Yes.

I can cover it, but I just want you to be aware that there are two pots of money that you're extending for 90 days at the 100% rate of a quarter.

Correct.

Yes, and thank you.

Okay, yep.

Josh, go ahead.

So uh Vice Chair, the motion would be to approve uh the resolution adopting the fiscal year 2025-2026 final general fund budget um with the amendment that all portions of the document would be stricken with the exception of the um further be it resolved in order that beg that because of the loss of the commission administrative staff as continued in that paragraph.

In addition, we would retain the next um paragraph further be it resolved and ordered that to uphold the commission's record management policy in the balance of that paragraph, and we would retain the last further be it resolved, which reads that the executive director is authorized and directed with the balance of that paragraph.

That's my motion.

Second.

All right, motion by Gatewood, second by Middleton.

Um, is there any further discussion on the motion?

All right, um hearing none uh before uh oh, say protocol to vote.

We're calling a vote, and that item passes with all members voting yes.

Thank you, madam clerk.

So here we are with a enough staff and enough money to keep the spigot on for the next three months, roughly.

Um, and we have a time frame, y'all.

It's time to sit down and work together and make a plan.

Um, if I may, um council, will that vote be for both for uh five and six?

Uh just for five.

Uh, six to be uh continued.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you.

Do we need a motion to continue six?

Uh it can be continued by direction.

Direction by the chair.

Sure.

So directed.

Um thank you.

And I think uh also one of the the main components that's kind of driving my uh desire to postpone this is the fact that the majority of our colleagues have stepped away because it is almost 6:30 p.m.

Um and so I want to make sure that their voices are adequately represented in this process as well.

Um I think that concludes uh items five and six.

We've got a three-month time, let's make it work.

Thank you.

Um in the interests of time, let's look at the remainder of our agenda.

So uh our next item is moving into separate matters, uh, which is appropriately receiving and filing reports of our channel licensees.

Um I would love to uh invite our licensees to provide as succinct of a presentation as possible with the utmost respect and appreciation.

I have very little chamber.

Oh, sorry, that's on us.

Got you.

Donna Duro, of Access Sacramento.

We are in the middle of game of the week football, high school coverage.

Uh, no rancho.

Um, and of course, it's in dire jeopardy because of uh our actions on the budget.

Um I think either way, I'm gonna lose about 18 employees this fall.

Um my crew wanted to be here today, and they aren't because they are doing their mission.

They're uh filming the um Sacramento Area Urban Music Awards over at the Safia.

We're also celebrating our 25th and probably final year of a place called Sacramento, and we would love to invite each one of the commissioners and the and the crew, uh the staff to our celebration.

It's a learn by doing um program, and it's celebrated by easily 900 people in the and it's filmed.

Um we encourage everyone to enjoy it.

And if you do come, wear something sparkly.

Um and the um we've been actively talking with SEC for months about possible collaboration.

I'd can't I can't wait to talk to the commissioners about the same and if somebody has an idea for free rent.

Um I do have a video, just don't need to watch it.

Next time we will.

I'd love to see that.

Yes, okay, ciao.

Thank you, Donna.

Um, I believe that we have lost quorum.

Okay.

Um, and so hold tight, means let me see if you can legally give a report.

We have lost quorum.

We have indeed lost quorum.

So we're unable to conduct further decisions.

Um in that case, we have lost quorum.

Um, and I will uh adjourn the meeting.

Uh we'll adjourn the meeting uh at oh it's on the screen, 6 16 p.m.