“It’s still my baby. I’m very proud of it,” Armstrong said. “This was an opportunity to help the station stay viable. I thought it was time to move on and pursue other things ... rather than see the place close. It really has been a good ride.”
TvHamilton has struggled in recent years with antiquated equipment that often didn’t work and a limited, stagnant budget.
A deficit of $25,000 was projected to show up next year as wages and benefits for one part-time and two full-time employees raised the station’s operating expenses to around $155,000, said City Manager Mark Brandenburger, who serves on TvHamilton’s advisory committee.
That’s more than the $130,000 allotted by City Council for TvHamilton’s yearly operating expenses, money appropriated from a special utilities fund and the general fund, said Finance Director Bill Moller.
While one less employee will reduce the payroll, the difference won’t show up until the next fiscal year. As TvHamilton employees are paid through the school district, Armstrong was granted a pay-out for unused sick leave amounting to about $25,000, Brandenburger said.
Because of reduced staff, Brandenburger told City Council Wednesday night, Sept. 9, that the TV station won’t be able film as many events and meetings as in the past.
TvHamilton went off-air for about five months this year while the station moved into a new studio in the Frederick G. Mueller Building.
The city covered the relocation costs, estimated at close to $200,000.
New equipment for the studio, which was kept in storage for three years and worth about $273,000, was paid for through private donations and the city’s franchise agreement with Time Warner Cable.
The situation was frustrating for Armstrong, who worked long hours in production and took residents’ criticisms in stride, said Steve Colwell, one-time assistant who’s taking over in his mentor’s position.
“The most frustrating thing was we had brand new equipment sitting in a warehouse, but we couldn’t use it,” Colwell said. “Jack had a work ethic like no other. He wanted to do as much as 10 people could do to make the city better and make the station better.”
Colwell will have to make do for now with just one part-time employee. After moving to a new studio, the station returned to television screens in July with coverage of parades and local chamber events. Colwell said they’re still learning how to use the new equipment and getting computers networked.
Among the highlights during his career as the director, Armstrong cited documentaries, symphony concerts and a reality show that documented Hamilton police officers working on their shifts.
Armstrong said he hopes TvHamilton can eventually produce high-quality, time-consuming pieces that people will find entertaining.
“TV is a strong medium. It should be a powerful, positive force for the community, and it’s up to the community to take advantage of it.”
Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2122 or rwilson@coxohio.com.
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