Negotiations Stall and La Verne’s Channel 3 Briefly Goes Dark

City, University negotiate future of La Verne’s public access channel

Residents who rely on La Verne’s public access Channel 3 temporarily lost access this month as negotiations over the future of La Verne Television, known as LVTV, stalled between the City of La Verne and the University of La Verne.

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La Verne Daily News has been unable to confirm exactly when the channel went offline. As of Friday night, Channel 3 was broadcasting what appeared to be a previously recorded Roynon Elementary School holiday concert. LVTV programming has remained accessible online through YouTube.

The University of La Verne said in a statement that it recognizes the community service provided by LVTV and the experiential learning opportunities it offers students, and that “The University is evaluating options for continued support of the station.”

According to an email from City Manager Ken Domer, the City issued a 90-day termination notice to the university on June 4, 2025, with the intent of negotiating a new agreement. Domer said the termination was driven by budget constraints and declining Public, Education and Government (PEG) revenue and was not related to performance concerns.

Domer said the City has been evaluating its communication methods, technology and the long-term viability of PEG funding for about three years.

Sherry Best, president of the La Verne Historical Society, said the potential loss of LVTV raises concerns about preserving local history.

“If LVTV goes offline, many records of preservation will be lost or severely curtailed,” Best said. “We are so fortunate to have the technology to create permanent products that will inform future generations. It is a shame to eliminate any opportunity to create and preserve history.”

The partnership between the City and the University to operate LVTV dates back to 1994 and has remained largely unchanged, Domer said. The agreement was designed to be funded entirely through PEG fees collected from cable television providers. That revenue source has steadily declined as residents shift from cable television to streaming services.

State legislation passed in 2006 capped PEG funding at 1% of cable provider revenues, contributing to an estimated annual decline of about 8% in PEG funds for the City, according to Domer.

Under the most recent agreement, approved by the City Council in 2019, the City paid the University $64,000 per year to operate LVTV. Domer said current PEG revenue is now under $50,000 annually. The city also pays about $22,000 per year to Swagit, a third-party vendor now part of Granicus, to broadcast City Council meetings, requiring the City to subsidize LVTV operations with General Fund dollars.

Domer said the City can no longer afford to use General Fund money to support LVTV and wants to redirect limited PEG funding toward digital platforms.

“We believe we ought to focus the funding better on current technology, such as our website, and for informative programs such as what we recently did with our water department,” Domer said. He added that the City would like to begin broadcasting commission and committee meetings that are currently not recorded or aired.

Best said LVTV provides production services that community organizations cannot easily replicate.

“LVTV has professional editing capability, using presentation narrative combined with archival images and other visuals to create polished products that tell a more dimensional story,” she said.

Best pointed to the recent Holiday Stroll event, during which community members were recognized as part of a newly created La Verne Walk of Honor. She said the event was not formally recorded on video and that similar moments may be lost without LVTV.

She added that the La Verne Historical Society does not have a permanent location to display artifacts or host exhibits and that it relies heavily on video documentation.

“The absence of LVTV shifts the onus of video preservation to the society, which has no funding to do so,” Best said.

Domer said he wants to work with the La Verne Historical Society to ensure its information remains publicly available and is enhanced. 

In a revised agreement sent to the University on Sept. 30, 2025, the City proposed reducing LVTV funding to approximately $20,000 for the first year, with the possibility of increasing it to about $32,000 if LVTV assumed responsibility for broadcasting city council meetings. Domer said the proposal was rejected by the University.

Domer said the City was unaware of a Jan. 1 deadline that resulted in LVTV being taken off the air. He said City-owned equipment used to operate the channel is currently housed at the University, and the City is exploring options to retrieve it if no agreement is reached.

University officials did not explain why the City’s proposal was rejected or whether the station could continue operating under reduced funding.

An end-of-year report shows LVTV produced or aired hundreds of programs in 2025, including City events, school performances, lectures, sports and historical programming. Domer said City-related content makes up a relatively small portion of that programming, and the City does not have data on how many residents watch LVTV via cable.

In La Verne, broadband access is high, with about 95% of households reporting a subscription, according to 2019–2023 U.S. Census data. However, if the channel were to permanently go offline, the loss could disproportionately affect residents who rely on cable television as their primary source of local information, including seniors and residents who do not regularly use streaming platforms or social media.

Domer said the City hopes to restore and improve the service once an agreement is reached.

“We do have a good relationship with them [the University], and I believe that we can find agreement,” Domer said. “LVTV3 won’t go away; it will be better and more impactful, and this issue is just a hiccup.”

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Here’s what you should know — and how to weigh in on the next City Council meeting.

La Verne City Council meets at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 20
Where: City Hall Council Chambers, 3660 D St., La Verne
How to attend: In person or via Zoom at LaVerneCA.gov/zoom

🔗 Council Regular Meeting Agenda (pdf)
🔗 City Council Agenda Packet (pdf)

Civic Tip: The California Brown Act is the state’s open-meetings law, requiring local government bodies—like city councils, commissions, and school boards—to conduct their business transparently and in public. It mandates advance posting of agendas, guarantees the public’s right to attend and comment, and prohibits decisions from being made in secret. In case you’d like to learn a little more, the ACLU of Northern California put together this handy Frequently Asked Questions about The Brown Act (available in English and en español).

🌟 7 Noteworthy Items

Kuns Park Playground Replacement

Why it matters:
The City plans to replace the 30-year-old Kuns Park playground with a new ADA-compliant play structure, including rubberized surfacing and integrated shade structure. The project would cost about $198,184.07, funded by the Los Angeles County Safe, Clean Neighborhood Parks and Beaches Measure of 2016 (Measure A).

See page 26 in the Agenda Report for additional information about the contract, including renderings for the proposed structure (page 30).

Public input:
This is on the Consent Calendar. Residents can request that it be pulled for discussion and comment during the meeting.

Drone Ordinance — Final Adoption

Why it matters:
This would formally adopt new local rules regulating drone takeoff and landing in La Verne, affecting hobbyists, photographers, businesses, and residents concerned about privacy and safety.

Public input:
Second reading/adoption — no formal public hearing, but residents may comment if the item is pulled from Consent.

What does it include?

Public Hearing: New Building, Fire & Green Codes

Why it matters:
These updates affect home construction, remodels, fire safety standards, wildfire-interface areas, and energy efficiency requirements citywide.

Public input:
✅ Formal public hearing
✅ Residents may comment in person, via Zoom, or by email
This is a key item for homeowners, renters, builders, and anyone concerned about safety or housing costs.

Public Hearing: Community Development Block Grant Funding

Why it matters:
La Verne expects to receive $137,721 in federal Community Development Block Grant funds for 2026–27. These dollars typically support housing, public services, and programs benefiting low- and moderate-income residents.

Public input:
✅ Formal public hearing
Residents can comment on how the money should be spent and which projects should be prioritized.

Public Hearing: Old Town La Verne Density Change

Why it matters:
This proposal would reduce minimum housing density in Old Town’s Mixed-Use 1 district from 38 units per acre to 20, potentially reshaping future development, building scale, and housing supply.

Public input:
✅ Formal public hearing
This is likely to be one of the most closely watched items, especially for Old Town residents, business owners, and housing advocates.

Arrow Highway Protected Bikeway Discussion

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Council will discuss whether La Verne should participate in extending a Class IV protected bikeway on Arrow Highway, improving access to the Metro A Line and potentially investing in road rehabilitation.

Public input:
Public comment allowed during discussion
Residents concerned about traffic, bike safety, parking, or street conditions may want to weigh in.

Police Union Contract & Salary Adjustments

Why it matters:
Council will consider approving a new Memorandum of Understanding with the Police Officers’ Association, appropriating $142,760 in Measure LV funds, and adopting updated salary charts for full-time employees, including police and the city manager.

Public input:
Public comment allowed during discussion items

🗣️ General Public Comment Opportunities

Residents may comment in several ways:

• In person at City Hall
• Via Zoom during eligible agenda items
• By email (submitted before the meeting deadline, if applicable)

Public comment is allowed:

• During Public Hearings
• On Discussion Calendar items
• On Consent Calendar items if pulled for discussion
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Upcoming Dates to Note

➡️ REMINDER: Monday, Jan. 19 is Martin Luther King Day

• Bonita Unified Schools will be closed.
• City Hall will be closed.
• Post Offices will be closed.
• Local banks may also be closed.
• La Verne Police Department Records Division will be closed.
  Note: Overnight parking restriction will not be enforced Monday, Jan. 19 between 2-5 a.m. Enforcement will resume at 2 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 20.
• City of La Verne Library will be closed.
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