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MINUTES /~ ,Q REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING I FEBRUARY 25, 1981 PAGE 2 eligibility etc. During the ensuing discussion Councilmember Steele in- SECTION 8 ( quired as to whether or not an elected governing body can be obligated to (cont.) an appointed governing body and if the City's contract with Metro HRA is valid when a Federal Law has been passed changing the regulations. Council requested that Attorney Allen check into these matters and re- port his findings at the next meeting. Councilmember Eggert gave an update on the activities of the North CABLE TV Suburban Cable TV Commission and requested Council's recommendations on two items, (1) funding of public access and (2) ownership of the system. Councilmember Eggert explained that there are two possible methods of ownership, locally owned cooperative and cable company ownership. He noted that the advantage of the municipal or local cooperative method is the municipality will receive any profits and also would have direct control over the system. The disadvantages are (1) technical - major companies are unwilling to provide the most contemporary know-how to cooperative systems and the municipality would find it necessary to have outside technical assistance, and (2) funding - cable companies have adequate funds for equipment and manpower to install the system within a reasonable time (average time for municipal construction could be 7 to 8 years, 2 to 3 years for a cable company). A muni- cipal system would require an agreement among the ten communities involved in the cable territory and that group would probably find it necessary to depend on a major cable company for technical direct- ion. Due to the disadvantages Councilmember Eggert stated that he felt it would be most practical to have a private cable company own and install the system and Council concurred. Councilmember Eggert also requested Council's recommendation in re- gard to the use of any profit the City might obtain from Cable TV as State Law provides that a municipality receive 3% of the fees for administration and public access underwriting. The Federal Government has provided that a municipality may request an addi- tional 2~ if need is established. The fees are to be used for administrative costs, however, any excess may be applied to public access underwriting or put into general revenue. A lengthy dis- cussion ensued regarding distribution of the fees, i.e.: division three ways -administrative costs, general revenue and public access underwriting or administrative costs and public access underwriting only. Councilmember Eggert moved, seconded by Councilmember Steele, that the fees be used for administrative costs and public access only. Upon a vote being taken the following voted in favor thereof: Mayor Warkentien, Councilmembers Brown and Eggert, and the following voted against same: Councilmember Steele. Motion carried. Both recommendations (cable company ownership and distribution of fees) will be presented to the Cable TV Joint Powers Commission by Council- member Eggert. Mayor Warkentien informed that there will be a meeting of Mayors and POLICING Administrators from the contractual policing communities to be held MEETING AT February 26, 1981 at 7:30 p.m, at the Vadnais Heights City Hall. VADNAIS HTS. Clerk Administrator Barnes will attend as the Falcon Heights Rep- resentative.