Laserfiche WebLink
Mounds View City Council October 23, 2000 <br />Regular Meeting Page 8 <br />competition in the telecommunications field. The competition should stabilize prices. It may not <br />lower the prices but it will keep the prices steady. The downside of competition is there will be <br />construction in the right-of--way and more green cable boxes in the right-of--way. Some residence <br />right-of--way areas may have a large green box depending on how the system is laid out. There <br />may also be more visual clutter on the utility poles. These are all things the City needs to look at <br />as the franchise application process goes forward. If the City were to grant the franchise today <br />there would still be a two to five year time period before services would be available. <br />State law requires that cable commissions advertise for franchises. The Commission advertised <br />in May of 2000 and accepted two applications and fees. There is a $50,000 fee required when <br />the application is submitted which covers costs and fees associated with verifying the legal, <br />technical and financial qualifications of the applicant. In the early 1980's cable companies came <br />to town and promised many things that didn't materialize once the contract was granted. Much <br />time and energy are being expended on behalf of the Commission to ensure this does not happen <br />with new cable providers. <br />The attorney for the Commission is reviewing the legal, technical and financial qualifications of <br />the applicants and is drafting a report to submit to the Commission for review. The attorney has <br />told the Commission he should be able to provide a rough draft of a franchise document <br />sometime in December. <br />Council Member Stigney inquired as to whether the City could require any new utilities be <br />placed underground. <br />Ms. Wilson indicated that the City is required to "level the playing field" for newcomers and a <br />newcomer may be able to claim the City is putting a hardship on them that the incumbent does <br />not have as it is significantly more expensive to place utilities underground than it is to place <br />them above ground. <br />Council Member Quick also indicated residents may not appreciate having their backyards torn <br />up to bury cables. <br />Mayor Coughlin indicated Council passed the Right-of--Way Ordinance to allow the Council to <br />have the opportunity to require utilities to go underground if it is determined that is best for the <br />City. <br />Mayor Coughlin noted there were several members of the Cable Commission in the audience and <br />thanked them for their support of the executive director including Jerry Skelly who is the <br />godfather or grandfather of Mounds View's cable system. <br />Mayor Coughlin noted the polling location for the November 7, 2000 general election is the <br />Mounds View Community Center located on Edgewood Drive across from City Hall. <br />• <br />