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Mounds View City Council May 26, 2015 <br />Regular Meeting Page 7 <br /> <br />Mayor Flaherty believed that additional work was needed in order to get the City and <br />CenturyLink on the same page. He summarized the consensus of the Council at this time and <br />recommended that discussions continue with CenturyLink. He recommended that the Council <br />postpone action on this item to a future meeting. <br /> <br />City Administrator Ericson requested comment from CenturyLink on how they would be <br />impacted if the exemption were postponed. Mr. Haggerty believed it was worthwhile to both the <br />City and its residents to discuss this matter further with the Council and staff in order to find a <br />middle ground on the fiber optic lines. <br /> <br />Council Member Mueller asked if additional poles would be installed or if CenturyLink would be <br />hanging lines from existing poles. Mr. Haggerty reiterated that no new poles would be added and <br />that all lines installed would be hung from existing poles. <br /> <br />Council Member Mueller questioned if guide-wires would be required to go on the existing poles <br />to support the additional weight of the line. Mr. Krebs explained that additional guide-wires may <br />be necessary on end poles. He then discussed the impact of placing wires underground on rear <br />easements. Interim Public Works Director Peterson provided comment on the Xcel Energy <br />requirements for guide-wires noting these regulations were not set by the City. <br /> <br />Council Member Meehlhause inquired if his neighborhood would be able to upgrade to the 1 gig <br />internet service since it currently has no poles. Mr. Haggerty reported that CenturyLink has been <br />working for the last 100 years to build its network. He stated that customers were now <br />requesting a high-speed fiber network and the proposed aerial lines would provide them with a <br />better internet service. He indicated that fiber would be deployed in the most cost effective areas <br />first and would continue to roll out over time. Mr. Krebs explained that as technology changes, <br />CenturyLink may be able to deploy fiber optic to these neighborhoods in new and unforeseen <br />ways. Mr. Haggerty reiterated that putting lines underground would cost CenturyLink four to <br />five times the expense of deploying the lines overhead. <br /> <br />Council Member Mueller proposed a word change within the Resolution changing “shall not” <br />hang overhead lines to “may”. She questioned if the Council could support this adjustment. <br /> <br />Mayor Flaherty believed this language amendment was too ambiguous and questioned who <br />would make the determination if lines should be hung overhead. <br /> <br />Council Member Mueller believed that in the end CenturyLink would be making this <br />determination as it was deploying a fiber optic network to Mounds View residents. <br /> <br />Mayor Flaherty did not want to see additional wires added to the City. Because he did not have a <br />real good idea where new wires would be added, he was in favor of delaying action on this item. <br /> <br />Council Member Mueller understood this concern; however, she did not believe that one <br />additional wire hanging on an existing pole would adversely impact the City. Mr. Haggerty <br />commented that he was only requesting overhead lines for three projects.