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CITY COUNCIL <br />STAFF REPORT <br />AGENDA ITEM 1.L. <br /> <br />STAFF ORIGINATOR: Karen Anderson, City Administrator <br /> <br />MEETING DATE September 8, 2025 <br /> <br />AGENDA ITEM: Authorize North Metro Telecommunications Commission (NMTC) to <br />Administer Broadband Provider Franchising Process <br /> <br />VOTE REQUIRED: Simple Majority <br /> <br /> <br />INTRODUCTION <br />The Lino Lakes City Charter requires a franchise for utilizing public right away for the <br />purpose of operating a public utility. Our cable franchises are managed through the North <br />Metro Telecommunications Commission (NMTC), of which we are a member city. Under <br />NMTC’s Joint Powers Agreement, NMTC has the authority to administer and enforce these <br />franchise agreements. <br /> <br />BACKGROUND <br />Recently, the City has been approached by several companies seeking to install fiber and <br />related infrastructure in the public right-of-way to provide broadband services. Residents <br />and businesses increasingly depend on broadband access, which in turn depends on <br />providers having access to the right-of-way. NMTC believes these utility companies are <br />subject to the Franchise requirements of the City Charter. <br />NMTC has administered franchise agreements on behalf of the City with cable providers, <br />such as Comcast of Minnesota, Inc. There is an opportunity to partner again with NMTC to <br />administer the franchising process specifically for broadband service providers. If there is <br />interest in having NMTC assist in preparing and overseeing this process, it is requested <br />that the Council provide authorization this evening to move forward. <br /> <br /> For your reference, a copy of City Charter, Chapter 10. Franchises is attached. It states, in <br />part: <br />“Except as otherwise provided by state law, no person, firm or corporation shall place or <br />maintain any permanent or semi-permanent fixtures in, over, upon, or under any street or <br />public place for the purpose of operating a public utility, or for any other purpose, without <br />a franchise therefor from the City. A franchise shall be granted only by ordinance, which <br />shall not be an emergency ordinance. No exclusive franchise shall be granted unless the <br />Page 39 of 168