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WBEREAS, the Member Cities have affirmed, by resolution, the Commission's <br />preexisting authority under the Joint Powers Agreement to take any and all steps required or <br />desired to comply with the Franchise renewal and related requirements of the Cable Act, <br />Minnesota law and the Franchises; and <br />WHEREAS9 the Joint Powers Agreement empowers the Commission and/or its <br />designee(s) to conduct the Section 626 formal franchise renewal process on the Member Cities' <br />behalf and to take such other steps and actions as are needed or required to carry out the fon-nal <br />franchise renewal process; and <br />WBIEREAS9 the Commission adopted Resolution No. 2011-02 commencing formal <br />franchise renewal proceedings under Section 626(a) of the Cable Act,, 47 U.S.C. § 546(a), and <br />authorizing the Commission or its designee(s) to take certain actions to conduct those Section <br />626(a) proceedings; and <br />WBER]EAS, the Commission performed a detailed needs assessment of the Member <br />Cities' and their communities' present and future cable -related needs and interests and has <br />evaluated and continues to evaluate Comcast's past performance under the Franchises and <br />applicable laws and regulations, all as required by Section 626(a) of the Cable Act, 47 U.S.C. § <br />546(a); and <br />WBEREAS9 the Commission's needs ascertainment and past performance review <br />lowing reports: The Buske Group's "Community Needs Ascertainment — North <br />produced the fol <br />Suburban Communications Commission (Arden Hills, Falcon Heights, Lauderdale, Little <br />Canada, Mounds View, New Brighton, North Oaks, Roseville, St. Anthony and Shoreview, <br />Minnesota)" (July 15, 2013) (the "Needs Assessment Report'); Group W Communications, <br />LLC's. telephone survey and report titled "North Suburban Communications Commission Cable <br />Subscriber Survey (September 2011)" (the "Telephone Survey Report'); CBG Communications, <br />Inc. s, "Final Report - Evaluation of Comcast's Subscriber System, Evaluation of the Existing <br />Institutional Network and Evaluation of PEG Access Signal Transport and Distribution for the <br />North Suburban Communications Commission" (July 2013) (the "Technical Review Report'); <br />Front Range Consulting, Inc.'s, "Financial Analysis of Comcast Corporation 2012 SEC Form <br />I OK7 (May 20 13) the "Comcast Financial Report'); and Commission staff s "Report on Cable - <br />Related Needs and Interests and the Past Performance of Comcast of Minnesota, Inc." (July 22, <br />2013) (the "Staff Report'); and <br />WHER]EAS, based on its needs ascertainment, past performance review, best industry <br />practicesnational trends in franchising and technology, and its own experience, Commission <br />, <br />staff prepared a "'Request for Renewal Proposal for Cable Television Franchise" ("RFRP") that <br />summarizes the Member Cities' and their communitiespresent and future cable -related needs <br />and interests., establishes requirements for facilities, equipment and channel capacity on <br />Comcast"s cable system and includes model provisions for satisfying those requirements and <br />cable -related needs and interests; and <br />WHER]EAS, pursuant to Resolution No. 2013-04, the Commission authorized its <br />Executive Committee, Franchise Renewal Committee, Commission staff and/or Commission <br />designee(s) to take all steps and actions necessary to implement, conduct and engage in the entire <br />