Tehachapi City Council Update

Police Foundation Fundraiser

Jim Wallace and Kim Nixon, representing the Tehachapi Police Foundation, appeared before the City Council on April 3 to present plans for their Honoring the Thin Blue Line Banquet which will be held on May 18 at Rose Garden Estate in Cummings Valley. The event will occur during National Police Week which was established in 1962 by President John F. Kennedy. This will be the first event sponsored by the Tehachapi Police Foundation that was founded last year. Nixon also asked that members of the City be certificate presenters at the event.

During the banquet, the Foundation will be honoring the Police Officer of the Year, the Police Explorer of the Year, the Volunteer of the Year and the Civilian Employee of the Year. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. with dinner being served at 7. Tickets are $50 per person or $350 for a table of 8.

The Tehachapi Police Foundation is a 501c3 non profit dedicated to a partnership between the police department and the residents it serves. Anyone who joins the Foundation before September will be a Lifetime Charter Member. The group is also planning a golf tournament for further fund-raising.

City Council meetings to be on YouTube

Currently City Council meetings are recorded and are available on the City's website. At the January 17 meeting, the City Council had directed city staff to look into the options for live streaming of council meetings for public viewing. Community Engagement Specialist Key Budge presented the results of their research. They met with the Golden Hills CSD who is currently streaming their meeting and reviewed their service and equipment. However, the city does not own its meeting facility. "We're guests here," said Budge, "the building is owned by the School District."

They reduced all options down to the three most workable. Granicus was too expensive requiring an initial $6,500 for equipment and $600 per month. DaCast, which is the service used by Golden Hills, charges by the number of viewers and time streamed at $20-$165 per 1000 viewers per month but the equipment would still cost $4,000 plus installation. This would also require the permission of TUSD.

The most efficient plan presented was to use Social Media, YouTube Live. The city already has a verified account so has the ability to live stream free of charge. Tests were run in the council chamber and it worked very well. This format also allows for the videos to be placed on the website and, as of now, on Facebook. Equipment costs would amount to $1,176 and $37.99 per month that would secure a back up data plan in case the WiFi went down. Councilman Hetge thanked Budge for the presentation. "I applaud your efforts," he added. Budge said that he was very happy with the results of the sound quality and "the equipment is portable. We can take the it with us. TUSD has already given us permission."

The Council unanimously approved the YouTube option.