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76 <br /> <br />Appointment re: <br />Community Attention <br />Home Advisory Bd. <br /> <br />Staff Report re: <br />Cable Television <br /> <br />Communication re: <br />HUD Application for <br />Units for the Deaf <br /> <br /> (b) that the City Council hereby agrees to appropriate <br />the necessary funds to provide the local matching share of such grant; <br />and <br /> <br /> (c) that the City Manager is further authorized and directed <br />to make the necessary application to the Virginia Department of <br />Highways and Transportation to secure participation by the <br />Commonwealth of Virginia in the funding of such local matching share. <br /> <br /> On motion by Mr. Brunton, Mrs. Nancy Scott was reappointed to <br /> <br />the Community Attention Home Board by unanimous vote. <br /> <br /> The City Manager advised the Council that the franchise for <br /> <br />cable television has expired and the City has employed a consulting <br />firm to advise on how best to proceed with regard to a new franchise. <br />He stated the staff has met several times with the consultant and <br />has provided a report on the various issues regarding the quality <br />of service and level of service that ought to be offered by a <br />cable television provider in Charlottesville. He stated that among <br />the alternatives the City may choose in handling the cable television <br />issue are: 1. deregulation; 2. consider municipal ownership of the <br />cable system; 3. negotiate a five year franchise renewal with <br />Multi-Channel on either'an exclusive or non-exclusive basis; 4. open <br />negotiations with Multi-Channel and any other company which may be <br />interested in obtaining a five year franchise; 5. commence a <br />competitive bidding process open to all interested companies; and <br />6. establish minimum franchise standards and award one or more <br />non-exclusive franchises to any applicant who complies with those <br />standards. He stated that the staff has examined these alternatives <br />and determined that the first two are not viable, which leaves four <br />alternatives for the Council to consider. He recommended that Council <br />hold a work session on this issue and invite the two companies of <br />which we are aware, who are interested in the franchise to come and <br />participate in the work session and then a public hearing be held <br />after which the Council could direct staff on which direction the <br />Council decides based on the fOur realistic alternatives. He stated <br />that there can be a number Of services available to subscribers in <br />Charlottesville that have not been available in the past. He suggested <br />that a work session be held on the 9th of July and possibly a public <br />hearing at the next regular meeting on the 16th of July. A work <br />session was set for July 9th at 7:30 p.m. to discuss this matter. <br /> <br /> A communication was presented from the Department of Housing <br /> <br /> and Urban Development advising that they have received and are <br /> considering an application to develop housing ~or the.handicapped <br /> under the Section 202 program for housing for the elderly and <br /> handicapped. It stated that the application was submitted by the <br /> Virginia Deaf Brethren and consist of fourteen units. The <br /> application is requesting $346.150 of financing and would be <br /> repaid with monthly rental payments and subsidized by HUD Section 8 <br /> money. The Virginia Deaf Breth=en would manage the facility <br /> providing a manager who would make the loan payments and maintain <br /> <br /> <br />