Smithfield
considers hitting airwaves with city TV channel
By Ash Schiller
January 27, 2005 | SMITHFIELD -- The
city may have its own television channel if Cisco Digital
Media finds sufficient sponsorship within the community,
the City Council decided Wednesday night.
The cable channel would have information about upcoming
events, meeting agendas and local weather conditions,
said Trevor Stokes, a Cisco Digital Media representative.
The station could also broadcast events such as Sky
View High School games.
Stokes described the service as "very cost effective."
The company donates the basic equipment and the city
won't have to hire any new employees, he said. The city
simply sends the text of what they want aired, and Cisco
will design each slate.
Homes would need to have cable in order to access
the station, Stokes said. According to Comcast, this
includes about 50 percent of the homes in Smithfield.
The funding issue could be resolved with sponsorship
by local businesses, Stokes said. Sponsors' business
logos along with location information and photos would
be shown periodically on the channel.
The council decided if the company could find businesses
willing to sponsor, they would try the station for one
year.
Mayor Ray Winn said he thinks it would be a good thing
for the community. Winn also expressed interest in involving
the production class at the high school.
In other business, the council considered raising
the cost to be buried in the Smithfield Cemetery. Rates
in Cache Valley are the cheapest in the state, and Smithfield
is the cheapest in Cache Valley. This is causing an
increasing amount of non-resident burial requests, Janice
Mikkelsen, council member, said.
Rates have increased by 15 to 20 percent over the
past two to three years. Mikkelsen said Smithfield residents
have the right to be buried in the city, and increasing
non-resident burials are decreasing space available
to residents. "We have to look out for our citizenry,"
she said.
Raising the rates would discourage non-residents who
are coming from locations as far as Las Vegas, the council
decided. It would also help meet annual burial and upkeep
costs. A decision on the amount of increase and other
details will be discussed at a later meeting.
The council also approved the relocation of the American
Legion facility and their beer license. The American
Legion plans on building a new legion hall on 100 South,
just across the street from their current location.
The new facility will have an expanded interior and
outside areas that could be used for weddings.
The new facility will also house a shooting range.
The range could be used by many people in the community,
an American Legion representative said, including those
obtaining their Hunters Safety certification, the police
station and scout groups. There are 112,000 Scouts in
Cache Valley and only 12 lanes available in Logan, he
said.
The new American Legion building will be located on
100 South. Council members discussed creating a master
plan for the surrounding area, perhaps coordinating
with the American Legion.
Other council business included:
--Rik Vernon and David Price of the Planning and Zoning
Committee and Glen Jay Thornley of the Historical Board
will be reappointed.
--Resolution 05-01, 05-02 and Ordinance 05-02 were
all passed unanimously by the council. Resolution 05-01
involves adjustments to the budget, 05-02, City Personnel
Manual, Ordinance 05-02, outdoor lighting standards.
--The council also gave authority to O. Dean Clegg,
City Recorder, to write off uncollectable utility bills
totaling $6,637.15.
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