11-08-2017 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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STAFF REPORT TO: Mayor Keis and Members of City Council FROM: Joel Hanson, City Administrator DATE: November 3, 2017 RE: Conference Costs for Cable TV Producer Vanessa Van Alstine is the Cable TV Producer part-time in Little Canada, and full-time for the City of Mounds View. She has attended a couple of media conferences in the last two years that were paid for by the City of Mounds View, although Little Canada also benefits from her attending the conferences. In 2017, Mounds View paid $455 plus her salary, to attend the Alliance for Community Media Conference, and in 2014, paid $575 plus her salary to attend the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors conference. She was able to attend these conferences when they were held in the Twin Cities. Ms. Van Alstine has won a free registration to the 2018 Alliance for Community Media annual conference in Baltimore, Maryland, which has a value of around $375. She feels this conference is valuable for her to attend, so she has requested that Mounds View and Little Canada share the travel expenses for her to attend. She is requesting the cost sharing because the Mounds View cable budget is strained in 2018 due to the upgrades they are doing to the control room and Council Chambers. She has estimated the travel expenses would total approximately $1,200 – around $620 for 3 hotel nights, $500 airfare and $80 airport shuttle. The City of Mounds View would pay her salary during the time she is at the conference. Staff recommends the Council consider sharing travel expenses with the City of Mounds View for Ms. Van Alstine to attend the national 2018 Alliance for Community Media annual conference in July in Baltimore, Maryland. The Council can discuss the amount they are willing to contribute towards her expenses. The funds would come out of the Cable Fund.