09-26-2018 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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STAFF REPORT TO:Mayor Keis and Members of City Council FROM:Vanessa Van Alstine, Cable Television Producer DATE:September 20, 2018 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 won a free registration to the 2018 Alliance for Community Media annual conference in Baltimore, Maryland, which had a value of $375. The City Council approved Resolution No. 2017-11-211 at their November 3, 2017, meeting, approving splitting the conference expenses with the City of Mounds View. The actual cost for airfare, hotel, meals and ground transportation was $784.55, with Little Canada contributing $392.28. While at the 2018 conference, Ms. Van Alstine won a free registration to the 2019 Alliance for Community Media annual conference in Portland, Oregon, 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 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 2019 Alliance for Community Media annual conference in July in Portland, Oregon. The Council can discuss the amount they are willing to contribute towards her expenses. The funds would come out of the Cable Fund.