Laserfiche WebLink
<br />Item No: 7B <br />Meeting Date: February 14, 2011 <br />Type of Business: Council Business <br />City of Mounds View Staff Report <br />To: Honorable Mayor and City Council <br />From: James Ericson, City Administrator <br />Item Title/Subject: Resolution 7734, Authorization to Commence Formal <br />Renewal Proceedings with Comcast, Pursuant to the <br />Federal Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984 <br /> <br />Introduction: <br /> In October of 2010, the City received correspondence from Kathi Donnelly-Cohen, <br />Director of Government Affairs for Comcast's Twin Cities cable systems, notifying us of <br />the cable company's intention to renew the current cable television franchise. The City’s <br />franchise expires on October 1, 2013, but federal law requires this notification be sent <br />to the local franchising authority 30 to 36 months prior to expiration of the franchise. <br /> <br />Discussion: <br /> To begin the franchise renewal process, the North Suburban Communications <br />Commission (NSCC) has requested that the City adopt a resolution delegating to the <br />NSCC the responsibility for conducting the renewal proceedings. Although the NSCC <br />Joint Powers Agreement already empowers the Commission to act on each city's behalf <br />in the franchise renewal process, the Commission believes that adopting such a <br />resolution will forestall any arguments by the cable company to the contrary. <br /> <br />In order to start the franchise renewal process, the Commission and its staff must soon <br />begin the required evaluation of Comcast's compliance with the current franchise and <br />the required needs assessment. Because the Commission understands that council <br />members may have questions about the franchise renewal process, their staff has <br />prepared a Fact Sheet (attached) that addresses some of the questions that are more <br />frequently asked. In addition, NSCC legal counsel, Steve Guzzetta, and Commission <br />member Rick Montour, plan to attend the Council meeting to review the process and <br />respond to any questions. <br /> <br />Recommendation: <br /> <br />Staff recommends approval of Resolution 7734, a resolution authorizing the <br />commencement of formal renewal proceedings with Comcast and delegating to the <br />Commission the responsibility for negotiation on the City’s behalf. <br /> <br />Respectfully submitted, <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />________________________ <br />James Ericson <br />City Administrator <br /> <br />