ORDINANCE No. 177100

*Amend contract with LNS Captioning to provide additional compensation in the amount of $32,000, increase the hourly rate and extend contract duration for closed captioning services of City Council sessions. (Ordinance; amend Contract No. 32954)

The City of Portland ordains:

Section 1.  The Council Finds:

1.  Ordinance No. 174435, passed by City Council May 10, 2000, authorized the Auditor to enter into an agreement with LNS Captioning to provide closed captioning services of City Council sessions broadcast on cable television. Ordinance Nos. 174575, passed June 21, 2000 and 175693, passed June 20, 2001 amended the Contract.

2.  The original contract amount and subsequent amendments were intended to cover the costs of closed captioning through FY 2001-02. It is estimated that the cost to the City for closed captioning in FY 2002-03 and 2003-04 will be approximately $32,000.

3.  Continued closed captioning of City Council sessions will provide hearing-impaired citizens with access to the public decision-making process. Closed captioning also allow the City Auditor to continue to use closed captioning transcripts to prepare timely verbatim minutes of Council meetings. In order to continue to provide these services, it is necessary to increase the contract amount by $32,000 and extend the contract duration.

4.  Costs of the original contract were subsidized by a three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education. LNS has obtained a new grant to help subsidize costs. Because the new grant is for a smaller dollar amount, it is necessary to increase the City's portion from $80.00 per hour to $90.00 per hour.

NOW THEREFORE, The Council Directs:

a.  The Auditor is authorized to execute, on behalf of the City, an amendment to Contract No. 32954, substantially similar in form to that attached as Exhibit A to the original only, increasing the contract amount by $32,000, increasing the hourly rate to $90.00 and extending the contract expiration date to September 30, 2003.

b.  The Mayor and the Auditor are authorized to draw and deliver checks in payment of obligations under this agreement.

Section 2.  The Council declares that an emergency exists because of the need to provide hearing impaired citizens with access to City Council meetings and to utilize transcripts for minutes of Council meetings; therefore, this Ordinance shall be in force and effect from and after its passage by Council.

Passed by the Council, DEC 04 2002

City Auditor Gary Blackmer         GARY BLACKMER

SFrancois            Auditor of the City of Portland  

November 20, 2002          By /S/ Susan Parsons

                  Deputy

BACKING SHEET INFORMATION

AGENDA NO. 1435-2002

ORDINANCE/RESOLUTION/COUNCIL DOCUMENT NO. 177100