Message from Patrick Davidson, Executive Director of CAPS –
For the past 25 years CAPS (Community Access Partners of San Buenaventura) has provided Public Access services in our community. The “C” in CAPS stands for Community. CAPS is not a department or division of the city. CAPS promotes civic engagement, provides access to local Information, and creates a center for artistic and creative expression. CAPS has been providing these services to the Ventura community for 25 years.
I am writing to ask for your support. On June 30 CAPS’ agreement with the city comes to an end. On April 8th I presented the 2024 CAPS annual report to the city council. My report was a brief summary of the services CAPS provides to the community including managing the CAPS Media Center; managing, programming, broadcasting and streaming on channel 6, 15 and KPPQ Radio; training and mentoring CAPS members and students; directing, recording and live streaming city council and other meetings at city hall, and producing informative and educational videos for the city. The report also included information on services CAPS provided to educational, nonprofit and government agencies on a fee-for-service basis as well as the basic funding structure of CAPS which is unique in that it is not burdensome to the city. A video of the CAPS presentation can be viewed at capsmedia.org.
CAPS has requested a new agreement which is consistent with the current and prior agreements dating back to CAPS formation in 2000. Our request to you, the public, is to help us secure city funding for CAPS for the foreseeable future. We are asking you to contact your council representatives via emails, letters, and/or phone calls to express your support for CAPS. Contact information is below. If you choose to send an email, please copy us at support@capsmedia.org.
Also, on Tuesday May 6th, please join other CAPS supporters at city hall for the first council meeting of the month when public comments are encouraged. This is an opportunity for anyone to express their opinions on any issues. The meeting is scheduled to start at 5pm with the public communications section usually near the start of the meeting. You can join in person or online to express your support of CAPS.
CAPS needs your help. The community needs to hear your voice. In today’s challenging environment, with public freedoms, personal expression and freedom of speech at risk, now is not the time to limit transparency and public access, rather, this is the time to protect and celebrate these fundamental freedoms that are the foundation of the public access services that CAPS provides and has provided our community for 25 years.
I look forward to hearing from you and seeing you on May 6th at city hall.
Thank you for your support,
Patrick Davidson
City Council contacts:
501 Poli Street, Ventura, CA 93002
805-654-7827
• Dr. Jeannette Sanchez-Palacios, Mayor – District 4
jpalacios@cityofventura.ca.gov
• Doug Halter, Deputy Mayor – District 2
dhalter@cityofventura.ca.gov
• Liz Compos – District 1
lcompos@cityofventura.ca.gov
• Ryyn Schumacher – District 3
rschumacher@cityofventura.ca.gov
• Bill McReynolds – District 5
bmcreynolds@cityofventura.ca.gov
• Jim Duran – District 6
Jim.duran@cityofventura.ca.gov
• Alex Mangone – District 7
amangone@cityofventura.ca.gov
