Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Michael P. Callagy, County Executive
Subject: Use of District-Discretionary Measure K Funds - Supervisorial District 3
RECOMMENDATION:
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Measure K: Adopt a resolution authorizing a one-time grant of district-discretionary Measure K funds, not to exceed $50,000, to Pescadero Public Radio Service to improve station operations resiliency, foster youth bilingual journalism skills development, and broaden outreach through an accessible website platform, and authorizing the County Executive, or designee, to execute the grant agreement.
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BACKGROUND:
Measure K is the half-cent general sales tax initially approved by San Mateo County voters in November 2012 and extended in November 2016 for a total of thirty years.
On March 9, 2021, and March 23, 2021, the Board of Supervisors (Board) held study sessions on Measure K expenditures and anticipated revenue for fiscal years (FY) 2021-23. The Board-appointed Measure K sub-committee, consisting of Supervisor Pine and Supervisor Canepa, convened the study sessions to, among other things, work with staff to facilitate the Board’s development of Measure K priorities and continuing initiatives for FYs 2021-23. The Board approved $5 million in one-time loans or grants for the FY 2021-23 budget cycle, divided equally among the five supervisorial districts, for district-discretionary needs and projects. District 3 has submitted a request to use their district-discretionary Measure K funds as shown below and described in the Project Summary section of this memorandum:
|
District/Project |
Amount |
|
District 3 (Supervisor Ray Mueller) - Pescadero Public Radio Service: improve station operations resiliency during climate events, foster youth journalism, and broaden outreach with accessible website platform |
$50,000 |
This item is consistent with the criteria for district-discretionary Measure K funds approved by the Board in December 2018.
PROJECT SUMMARY:
This is a request to authorize a grant to Pescadero Public Radio Service (PPRS), and resulting grant agreement, in an amount not to exceed $50,000, to purchase new equipment for resiliency in extended power outages, enhance communications and expand its reach, deepen its programming, and support youth journalism skills development efforts in the rural south coast region. The County Executive’s Office will administer and manage the proposed agreement.
PPRS has found that the past three years of climate-related emergencies have revealed the San Mateo County coast’s fragile communications infrastructure and made evident the need to expand and bolster local radio communications.
PPRS operates public radio services to Pescadero and the surrounding coastal area, with a mission to support youth broadcast journalism in the La Honda-Pescadero School District, provide emergency communications for the south San Mateo County coast, and broadcast locally run and operated community news and entertainment in both English and Spanish (via its nonprofit community radio station, KPDO, and its new translator station, KZSG).
This Measure K grant would enable PPRS to (1) increase KPDO and KZSG stations’ resiliency with on-site power generation, extended battery storage capacity, redundant satellite internet connections, and a fully mobile studio truck; (2) recruit and train station technicians and bilingual voice talent from local high schools who can immediately broadcast critical alerts and weather information in both English and Spanish; and (3) create a more accessible online presence linked to countywide resources and information. The Measure K funds would be allocated as follows:
|
Purchase generator and extended battery equipment to achieve resilient operations at transmitter, studio, and translator sites in Pescadero and San Gregorio; and Starlink Satelite hardware for redundant internet service |
$14,000 |
|
Repairs and maintenance for existing studio truck to allow relocation in the event of town flooding and provide mobile broadcasting |
$1,000 |
|
Implement youth skills development program, and provide stipends to youth participants who regularly work short shifts as assistant station managers, and to youth participants who work as on-call bilingual news readers (in partnership with La Honda-Pescadero Unified School District) |
$25,000 |
|
Develop website platform and provide accessibility improvements for bilingual or mono-lingual Spanish residents, including program enhancement and outreach |
$10,000 |
|
Total Requested: |
$50,000 |
Total Measure K Request: Not to Exceed $50,000
The release of funds will be contingent on the execution of an agreement providing for the County’s confirmation of the expenditure of funds for the purposes stated herein. The County will disburse the funds to the following organization for the purposes described above:
Pescadero Public Radio Service
Catherine Peery, Board President
P.O. Box 893
Pescadero, CA 94060
KPDO893@gmail.com <mailto:KPDO893@gmail.com>
PERFORMANCE MEASURES:
|
Description |
Target |
|
Purchase generator and extended battery equipment to achieve resilient operations at transmitter, studio, and translator sites in Pescadero and San Gregorio |
Complete |
|
Implement youth skills development program, and provide recruitment stipends, for bilingual journalism program (in partnership with La Honda-Pescadero Unified School District) |
Complete |
|
Develop website platform and provide accessibility improvements for bilingual or mono-lingual Spanish residents, including program enhancement and outreach |
Complete |
The County Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved the agreement and resolution as to form.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There are sufficient Measure K funds for this specific FY 2022-23 Measure K request. These funds are budgeted in the Non-Departmental Services FY 2022-23 Adopted Budget.