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• <br />underwriter's counsel, company counsel and issuer's counsel in issues of general obligation bonds, <br />tax increment revenue bonds, industrial development bonds, and single family and multifamily <br />• housing bonds. <br />Utilities and Franchise Law <br />Kennedy & Graven represents numerous cities throughout the state on cable franchising, <br />right -of -way, and other utility matters. In addition, the Firm represents the Suburban Rate Authority <br />(SRA), a joint powers organization consisting of forty -two metropolitan area suburban <br />municipalities. The SRA regularly intervenes in rate cases before the Minnesota Public Utilities <br />Commission, which involve Northern States Power, Minnegasco, Qwest, and other utilities as <br />parties. The Firm represents various municipal utility commissions, including the Kenyon <br />Municipal Utility Commission, which includes an electric generating facility. The Firm also <br />represents a number of cable commissions throughout Minnesota. <br />• <br />Our attorneys have broad experience regarding other issues such as utility rates, utility rate <br />design, franchise negotiation, and use of the right -of -way by utility users. The Firm's significant <br />experience in land use and utility matters has also created a depth of knowledge in the wireless <br />telecommunications issues facing local governments, such as tower and antenna leases on public <br />property and zoning of such facilities on private property. Jim Strommen has represented the City <br />• on right -of -way and utility issues, and will assist as necessary in the future. <br />• <br />• <br />• <br />• <br />• <br />c. Other Areas of Expertise: <br />Municipal Licensing <br />The attorneys in our Firm regularly advise our municipal clients on municipal licensing <br />matters, including reviews, suspensions and revocation proceedings. <br />City Code Enforcement <br />The attorneys in our Firm regularly advise our local government clients on code <br />enforcement matters, including drafting and revision of ordinances, enforcement of nuisance <br />provisions, hazardous building actions, and others. <br />Employment Law / Labor Relations <br />The Firm is actively involved in the employment and personnel area. Our experiences <br />include discipline /discharge cases; unemployment compensation hearings; race, sex, disability and <br />age discrimination cases; sexual harassment cases; Veterans' Preference Act cases; reviews of <br />personnel policies/handbooks, employment contracts and affirmative action plans; advice on pay <br />equity /comparable worth plans; FLSA issues, labor - management contracts; PERA issues, and <br />Minnesota Government Data Practices Act issues. Kennedy & Graven has defended these cases in <br />federal and state courts, arbitrations, and before the Minnesota Human Rights Department, the <br />federal EEOC, the Minneapolis Commission on Civil Rights, and the Commissioner of Veterans <br />Affairs. Mike Norton has extensive experience in addressing PERA and labor relations issues and <br />5 <br />