By Susan Bromley
Staff Writer
Brandon Twp.- Complaints of audio issues have dogged the local cable channel for years. Now, a cable advisory committee will seek a clearer picture of the overall quality of the public access station by turning to an independent party.
‘We are seeking outside sources for consultant proposals,? said Township Supervisor Kathy Thurman, a member of the cable advisory committee. ‘We’re looking to improve the quality and educational value of the cable station. The station has been improving, we’re just looking for ways to improve it more.?
Thurman is joined on the committee by Brandon Schools Superintendent Lorrie McMahon and Ortonville Village Manager Bill Sprague. Last year, the village, township and school district forged an intergovernmental agreement to jointly collect cable franchise fees and make decisions together regarding OTV, formerly channel 18 and now channel 99.
The 2009-2010 budget for the cable station was $63,068, a figure that includes a $30,000 stipend for Cable Coordinator Greg Normand and $18,573 for cable technicians? the high school students who Normand says film meetings and events, running cameras, and do editing within the confines of the station. Normand has worked as cable coordinator for 10 years without a written contract. When his annual contract expired last July, boardmembers opted to let him continue on a month-to-month basis while they drew up a contract detailing the duties expected of the cable coordinator.
‘The goal is to establish specific goals for the station so we can incorporate them into a coordinator’s contract,? Thurman said. ‘We want to talk to the consultant first before we write the contract.?
Sprague hopes to contact some Mott Community College students to see if they can offer a proposal to do a joint venture. ‘We want a set of eyes to look at the quality of the current product that is going out on the cable,? he said. ‘In addition to that, we want to see if we can enhance the educational opportunities associated with the station while improving the quality of what the residents are seeing.?
v