LIVE … from Mandan … it's the city commission.

Yes, Mandan city commissioners approved forming a partnership with Bismarck to fund Community Access Television and also equip the Ed "Bosh" Froehlich meeting room for live broadcast.

CATV executive director Mary Van Sickle and board chairman Jack McDonald made their pitch to have the city of Mandan fund 20 percent of its operating budget at the commission's Tuesday meeting. For the past 15 years, the city of Bismarck has been CATV's sole sponsor.

City administrators said that about 20 percent of the area homes that receive Midcontinent Cable are in Mandan. CATV's 2008 budget is about $200,000, and Mandan's portion would be the equivalent of $55,000. Neubauer later said that the city's commitment would likely increase each year, as would CATV's budget, but he said he expected the 20 percent to remain fairly stable.

McDonald said that the federal government requires cable franchises to provide Public Education Government channels and CATV will soon be adding a second channel, which will be dedicated to public affairs.

"We have wanted to jump over the river and get Mandan involved, but there have been some problems, like having a room outfitted to broadcast live from and also allocation of time and space," McDonald said. "We're doing practically all the Burleigh County and Bismarck entities. Now we do have another channel that we're going to launch soon and we'd like to make it government-only. We'd like to kick that off by getting the Mandan city commission on the air, live."

McDonald advised commissioners not to get caught up in the scheduling of the other governmental entities and that it would work itself out, much like it did in Bismarck.

"I have to agree with you,"mayor Ken LaMont responded. "There is so much excitement over here right now. I think this would just be another tool to let people know what's going on."

The Morton County commissioner pledged his support in attempting to provide county funding, though he said he was only speaking for himself and not the entire commission. Zachmeier said that Burleigh County had committed $5,000 to $6,000 to outfit the Tom Baker meeting room and said he felt Morton could match that.

Along with the annual operations funding, Mandan will also spend up to $45,000 to equip the Ed "Bosh" Froehlich room where it holds its meetings. Neubauer said there would be four cameras, video monitors, sound equipment and associated equipment to be purchased and installed at a cost of about $34,000. A room in the northwest corner of the Froehlich room will be built to house the recording and transmission equipment.

The funding for the equipment will come from city sales tax revenues, while the annual operation costs will have to be built into the budget for 2009.

"I think this is a great thing and will bring a lot more professionalism to this commission. People can find out the truth," commissioner Tim Helbling said. "The scary thing is that the $55,000 to $60,000 (received as franchise fees) goes into the general fund and Mandan will have to make it up every year. That will probably mean a mill increase or cutting of some service. This is not a freebie."

Helbling made the motion to begin crafting an agreement with CATV and gave the city administrator authorization to purchase equipment. Neubauer was also authorized to open communications with the park district, school district and county about participating. The motion was approved unanimously.

Van Sickle said that the second CATV channel could begin broadcasting as early as July.

(Reach reporter Gordon Weixel at 250-8255 or gordon.weixel@bismarcktribune.com.)