Recently my colleagues on the City Council approved a staff recommendation to enter into a five-year agreement with Pen TV to broadcast their Channel 26 public access station. I disagreed with this action; however, it was approved on a 4-1 vote. The 21-page staff report is available to any member of the public who may wish to review its content.
I am somewhat disappointed and surprised that there were no or few questions raised regarding this 21-page report. There were financial considerations which when evaluated left some question as to the economic benefit to the City. The approval of adding a full-time employee to the city workforce in a non-essential aspect of city services is questionable in light of city budgetary problems that may very well require the City Council to eliminate positions from essential services in the next fiscal year?s budget.
The argument that Pen TV provides a valuable service to the public is interesting. I wonder how many of our citizens really are benefited by Foster City taking on the obligation to broadcast Channel 26. I wonder why Foster City is the only entity capable of broadcasting Channel 26. One might be curious as to what it cost the City to place ourselves in that position.
I believe the action of the City Council gives the mistaken impression that it is business as usual in Foster City and our concern for recognition outweighs our need to be responsible to the majority of our citizens and business community.
I do not argue the value of public access television. I do believe there is merit in providing the opportunity to our citizens to view community information on public access television. Foster City has its own public access Channel 27, FCTV, to accomplish this objective; and I might add we seem to do this very well.
I would like our citizens and business community to know that I will continue to question and challenge presentations that I believe have marginal benefit for utilizing public funds and which appear to have questionable merit. I know that some of my actions in regard to policy matters before the Council may not be popular with some people. I do believe, however, I was elected to be responsible at all cost, even at the expense of popularity.
Please let me know your feelings on any City issues. Please either call me at (650) 341-9164 or e-mail me at rwykoff@fostercity.org.
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