Yorkville is prepared to withdraw from a cable TV consortium as Oswego and North Aurora have already done.
The Yorkville City Council in a 4-3 vote recently authorized staff to serve notice to pull out of the Fox Valley Cable and Telecommunications Consortium that it’s been a part of since 2002.
“This at least gives notice. We can come back for final approval. We would not cease the program,” Yorkville Mayor John Purcell said.
Purcell voted in favor of the notice, making it a final 5-3 vote.
The consortium has been a way for the city to provide video coverage of City Council meetings.
In the past it also provided a way for municipalities to cooperate in the negotiation of cable and telecommunication rates, renewals and agreements, city officials said.
Waubonsee Community College has provided a studio and certification programs for community members to train on video equipment and experience local broadcasting through the consortium.
However, the city over time has undertaken most of the responsibilities of the group, including the purchase of video equipment for meetings that are then streamed live online, city officials said.
The city could make better use of the $50,000 to $60,000 in the 2021 fiscal year budget for the consortium, Purcell said.
“In light of the changes we may face, I just think this money will buy a squad car,” Purcell said.
He said the notice concerning the consortium “will give us some time for staff to come up with a plan and think about it,” Purcell said.
North Aurora is withdrawing from the cable consortium effective July 1 and Oswego withdrew from the group a few years ago, city officials said.
The remaining communities in the consortium are Yorkville, Sandwich and Plano, who will determine whether the consortium will continue.
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“It’s something the partners would have to discuss,” Yorkville City Administrator Bart Olson said.
The intergovernmental agreement with the communities requires a 90-day notice to leave the consortium prior to the end of the group’s fiscal year, which is June 30, Olson said. The city could decide not to terminate the agreement, he said.
The city has also been informed by the consortium’s director that the loss of Yorkville’s contributions would likely result in a dissolution of the organization.
The group was trying to attract Aurora to join, city officials said.
“While we are talking big picture about the financial debt the pandemic may have, I think this program is beneficial to the community,” Funkhouser said. “I do not like taking rash moves without properly vetting the issues. I think we are rushing this.
“If we do move forward with this, there has to be options presented to the council to provide services. We won’t be able to provide all of the services,” he said.
Ald. Joel Frieders was not supportive of giving the notice.
“I don’t want to pass this and then get distracted. I can guarantee we are going to be distracted for the next three months of our lives,” Frieders said, referencing the coronavirus outbreak.
Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.