Sponsor: County Manager's Office
Title
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Agreement with the City of Saint Paul for Recording, Cablecasting and Webstreaming Services
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Recommendation
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1. Approve the agreement with the city of Saint Paul for recording, cablecasting, and webstreaming services for the period of January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2027 with the option to renew for one additional two-year periods in accordance with the rates established in the agreement.
2. Authorize the Chair and Chief Clerk to execute the agreement.
3. Authorize the County Manager to enter into agreements and execute amendments to agreements in accordance with the terms with the county’s procurement procedures, provided the amounts are within available funding.
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Background and Rationale
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Since April 1, 1995, the city of Saint Paul (City) has provided recording and cablecasting services for county board meetings in the Courthouse-Council Chambers and on January 1, 2008, the City also started provided webstreaming services for board meetings. Beginning in 2026, the City will be sub-contracting with the Saint Paul Neighborhood Network (SPNN) to manage the hardware technology and audio & visual functions in the Council Chambers for county board meetings. There’s no additional cost to the county and the county’s fixed cost remains the same as listed in the agreement. The City will have operational oversight of SPNN and they’ll provide two months of onboarding and training to ensure a smooth transition. Telecast agencies are experiencing funding cuts across the county, so this partnership with the city of St. Paul and SPNN presents a unique opportunity to deepen relationships and partner with a community vendor that aligns with the county’s strategic priorities.
SPNN staff provide programs and classes to help youth and adults learn media-making and storytelling skills and their cable channels and social media are a platform to share those stories with local communities. SPNN’s cohort-based documentary programs provide access to industry standard tools and training for filmmakers and media artists with beginning through advanced skills. Their Community Technology Empowerment Project AmeriCorps program places up to 25 AmeriCorps members throughout the Twin Cities in nonprofits, libraries, and adult basic education facilities to teach basic digital literacy and job search skills. They also partner with other organizations to create video content in the field and in their on-site television studio to ensure coverage of local events and provide valuable civic content.
A new two-year agreement has been negotiated that will allow the City to continue to provide the county with services for board-related meetings. There will also be an option to renew the agreement in 2027 for an additional two-year term. This approach aligns with Ramsey County’s purchasing and contracting policies and with the City Charter.
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County Goals (Check those advanced by Action)
☐ Well-being ☐ Prosperity ☐ Opportunity ☒ Accountability
Racial Equity Impact
Public access to the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners regularly scheduled meetings provides free and accessible options to watch public meetings. While this Request for Board Action does not have a direct racial equity impact, it does provide more transparency and accountability that aligns with the county’s vision, mission, and goals.
Community Participation Level and Impact
While there was no direct community participation involved with this Request for Board Action, the new partnership with the City and SPNN will build stronger relationship between the county, City, and community-based telecast providers. This new partnership could create more opportunities to build relationships with the broader diverse communities in Ramsey County.
☒ Inform ☐ Consult ☐ Involve ☐ Collaborate ☐ Empower
Fiscal Impact
The funding is accounted for in the County Manager’s proposed 2026-2027 operating budget. There will be a one-time payment of $18,750 for technical operating support during board meetings and a one-time payment of $15,750 to the City’s Capital Replacement Fund, which is used to maintain and replace any damaged hardware equipment. Quarterly, the county will pay the City $2,700 for webstreaming subscription services. In total, the county will pay the City approximately $45,300 annually, or $90,600 for the duration of the agreement.
Last Previous Action
On December 15, 2020, the County Board approved the agreement with the City of Saint Paul for recording, cablecasting and webstreaming services (Resolution B2020-252).
Attachments
1. Agreement with the City of St. Paul