Council Meeting: 2/11/97                     Santa Monica, CA

TO:       Mayor and City Council

FROM:     City Staff

SUBJECT:  Recommendation to Appoint Members of a
          Telecommunications Working Group

INTRODUCTION
This report recommends appointment of members of a
Telecommunications Working Group.

BACKGROUND
City Council approved undertaking a Telecommunications Master
Plan in the FY 96-97 budget and awarded a contract to Media
Connections Group on November 12, 1996 to assist the City in that
regard.

The plan is intended to result in policies and initiatives that
will enhance the quality of life and economic vitality in Santa
Monica through the strategic use of telecommunications
technologies.  The plan will identify the City's current
telecommunications infrastructure and needs and determine
potential roles and partnership opportunities to meet them.  The
methodology will include: a right-of-way analysis; a citywide
telecommunications assessment with the help of an advisory
community working group; identification of telecommunications
systems and platforms; financial analysis/models for partnership
opportunities for public and private initiatives, municipal
ownership and/or continued reliance on third party networks.

The community working group will assist in the assessment of the
City's distinctive telecommunications needs and opportunities. 
In particular, members will be asked to consider the methodology
and results of the City-wide telecommunications inquiry to assure
that Santa Monica community interests are reflected.  The working
group is intended to bring special expertise to inform the City's
development of a telecommunications master plan. 

Working Group on Telecommunications:         Proposed Members

Neil Schmidt (or representative)             Superintendent,
                                             Santa Monica/Malibu
                                             Unified School
                                             District

Alan Buckley                                 President, Academic
                                             Center Santa Monica
                                             Community College
                                             District

Michelle Wittig                              Community Member/PEN
                                             Action Committee

Barry Boehm                                  Community Member
                                             Former Library Board
                                             Member Professor of
                                             Software Technology,
                                             USC Computer Science
                                             Program, L.A.

James Hake                                   Telecommunications
                                             Specialist Chair, 
                                             National Information
                                             Infrastructure
                                             Awards

Gerry Chaleff                                Telecommunications
                                             Specialist Former
                                             President, L.A.
                                             Board of
                                             Telecommunications
                                             Commissioners Past
                                             President LA County
                                             Bar Association

Mark Flaisher                                Community Member
                                             Technology
                                             Consultant

BUDGET AND FINANCIAL IMPACT
The City Manager's Office will provide staff assistance to this
effort.  There is no budget impact.

RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that Council make the aforementioned
appointments to the Community Telecommunications Working Group.

Prepared by:   John Jalili, City Manager
               Kathryn Vernez, Senior Management Analyst
               Jory Wolf, Manager of Information Systems