Sacramento County board abruptly ends meeting, with few answers. ‘Really shocked’
A Sacramento County government agency abruptly ended a meeting Thursday without discussing all items on its agenda, which included approving a budget for public media nonprofits.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Cable Television Commission had its fifth and final meeting for this year to approve money allocations for institutions such as Capital Public Radio, KVIE, Access Sacramento and the Sacramento Educational Cable Consortium. Both Access Sacramento and the Sacramento Educational Cable Consortium leaders long awaited Thursday’s meeting to learn if their organizations could remain afloat next year.
The commissioners’ decision to end Thursday’s meeting comes as nonprofits scrambled under what they called poor communication from county staff. In September, both Access Sacramento and SECC were told of a crippling budget projection just days before a meeting. Joe Barr, the board chairman for Access Sacramento, said the Sacramento Metropolitan Cable Television Commission’s executive director had not contacted him to discuss Thursday’s budget item in the days leading up to it. Barr later said he and the director talked on Wednesday.
The commission was created in the 1980s by local cities and the county to oversee the installation of cable companies’ wires, often erected on public land. In return for using taxpayers’ properties, cable companies paid a fee to government authorities. A portion of that money was devoted to public education, government equipment and facility purposes, or PEG funds. Sacramento public media institutions draw money from the PEG funds, with both Access Sacramento and SECC drawing a sizable amount to sustain their functions.
Commissioners, who are representatives from local cities and the county, conducted the meeting abiding by its regular agenda. They adopted next’s year meeting calendar and a resolution commending county employee Mary Thao Anacleto for her 10 years of civil service.
The commissioners then adjourned to close session. After striding back to the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors chambers, county staff said there was no reportable action stemming from the closed session.
Then, Vice Chair Garrett Gatewood, who also serves as Rancho Cordova’s vice mayor, called for a motion ending the meeting which passed. Several audience members looked shocked and confused as the meeting ended and commissioners put away papers, shrugged on jackets and walked out of the chambers.
The commission’s Executive Director Shawn Ayala declined to comment on why the commission’s meeting was abruptly adjourned. He did say the nonprofits would be fully funded until the next meeting in March.
Gatewood, who put forth a motion to adjourn the meeting without discussing the budget, did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
“I’m really shocked,” said Donna Girot, the executive director of Access Sacramento.
Barr said he talked with Ayala on Wednesday and to discuss a presentation Barr planned to give at the meeting. The positive discussion involved Ayala providing him advice on the presentation, he said.
“We want to work with them,” Barr said
Without a discussion in the meeting, Girot said she didn’t know where the budget stood for her next year. “I can’t pay people on presumption,” she said. Girot said her employees accompanied her to the Thursday’s meeting and wanted to know if they would be laid off without a budget approval.
“You want a future for the people,” she said.
This story was originally published December 4, 2025 at 5:34 PM.
