ELCAT expansion on track
Date: 10/25/2011
Oct. 24, 2011By Chris Maza
Reminder Assistant Editor
EAST LONGMEADOW — The expansion of East Longmeadow Cable Access Television’s (ELCAT) space will be able to move forward as planned.
After a recent mandatory walk-through was attended by only two contractors qualified to perform the construction work required for the expansion project, Town Administrator Nick Breault spoke to the Attorney General’s office, which told him East Longmeadow would not be investigated for breaking state laws if the project proceeds.
Breault told the Board of Selectmen that he was informed that “as long as we did our due diligence,” the current Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process can continue without any ramifications from the state.
According to state laws regarding RFQs, the Designer Selection Committee must rate the top three contractors as part of its decision-making. The walk-through is a mandatory step in the process for any contractor interested in submitting an RFQ and the Selection Committee cannot consider any submission made by a company that was not present at the walk-through.
RDK Engineers of Amherst and William Sloan Associates of Winchester were the two qualified contractors represented at the walk-through. Valley Communications also attended, but would not be involved in the construction phase of the project, therefore they did not count as a third qualified contractor.
ELCAT is seeking to expand its studio at the high school in order to increase the number of opportunities for students to be exposed to broadcasting by adding a third educational channel to compliment the existing local access and government channels.
The plan requires ELCAT to move from its current location to the garage and auto shop behind the school, which will offer more space and the opportunity for ELCAT staff to have private offices.
ELCAT’s current location is a 24-by-20-foot room in which students and staff perform all of the station’s editing and production, as well as create its ELCAT News program.
