Confederate Star Energy Corp. Sends the Mayor and City Council of the city of Pocatello Idaho greetings.
We address this city government body to initiate discussion and begin dialog to the goal of acquiring a private partnership with the city of Pocatello Idaho in operation and part ownership of Channel 12 the local cable community access TV channel, that is currently housed in City Hall here in Pocatello. Our aim is not to over dominate this TV channel, however I have seen through active involvement since I produce and deliver a TV show on said channel three times per week. My frustration resulted from not being able to have access to the internet in the concept of producing a farm/truckers news program and not being able to have a live feed to news service and news content providers. The current director told me my next recourse was to take it up with Mayor Chase. The restrictions of having this TV station directly tied both in all funding as well as liability with the city of Pocatello city is hindering the station and channel's ability to grow and prosper. As it is currently CH-12 is limited in it's viewership to only those with cable TV. This prevents those that for whatever reason either due to the economic hardship of not being able to afford cable TV or they have bought a satellite dish and have no current access to this valuable resource. Our aim if allowed to pursue this venture is to remove the studios from city hall, move the station elsewhere in town to a location we have looked at on south 4th ave, in the old Farmers Insurance building. By moving the station elsewhere we will be able to erect a small microwave antenna on the building and then microwave the stations signal to a mountain top tower and transmitter. As the council and Mayor may know or not know, in February 2009 all full power broadcast commercial television stations will be required to go to digital operation. However a community operated low power none commercial TV station such as CH-12 would not have to make that conversion and could remain analog. Our aim is to make this station available both in programming access as well as ability for all to see it available to all the citizens of not only Pocatello and Chubbuck Idaho but also of the eastern Idaho region making CH-12 a valley wide access channel. Enabling the input of operational funds from not just Pocatello and Chubbuck , but also from Idaho Falls Idaho, Blackfoot, Inkom, American Falls, Aberdeen and all surrounding communities. To improve the quality of programming we will institute a user fee of those putting on TV programming except for local government. The city of Boise and Ada County Idaho currently operates their community access channel this way. The TVCATV also has only two paid employees, on their staff. The rest are all volunteers working for the benefit of the community and love television not just because its a pay check. That same money as it is now as an example for the current director has an annual income of an estimated $50,000.00 per year. Where if I was the director I would do this job free as a volunteer with no paycheck from the city. This would allow that same $50,000.00 to go to newer equipment and improving the stations programming. At this time this is only in active investigation phase and would ask that the City council firmly request the current director of the station to allow examination of current inventory values. So we might determine what equipment and/or inventory we wish to retain and that of which would be better off sold. Confederate Star Energy Corp. Of North Carolina is the major funding behind our effort, which the same firm is the name of my Trust Fund. Confederate Star Energy got its start near Featherville Idaho in the early 1800's as the Confederate Star Mine a silver mine at that time. Confederate Star Energy is looking to build two bio fuels plants one near where the company was founded in Mountain Home Idaho the other will be a site near here in Pocatello Idaho, employing 3,000 during construction in each location and providing 1500 new jobs once built. Confederate Star Energy Corp. Will provide both contact and financial data to the City council and Mayor at a future date. The urgency here is that a Federal Communications Commission application filing window opens in October 2008, and we would like to get under way with our investigation into at least the possibilities of this station. In fact the only financial responsibility of the City of Pocatello would be a one time gift of $1,000.00 to expedite the possibility study of this venture. I will submit an additional letter to the city council and to Mayor Chase later in the month of April 2008.
Truly
Patrick G Montgomery]
Executive Officer
Confederate Star Energy
4/03/2008
