TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Steve Powers, City Manager
FROM: Ryan Zink, Franchise Administrator
SUBJECT:
title
Cable Television Franchise Extension.
Ward(s): All Wards
Councilor(s): All Councilors
Neighborhood(s): All Neighborhoods
end
ISSUE:
Shall the City Council authorize the City Manager to execute the cable television franchise extension agreement with Comcast of Oregon I, Inc. (Attachment 1) to allow staff, together with Marion County, sufficient time to complete approval of the cable television franchise agreement?
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Authorize the City Manager to execute the cable television franchise extension agreement with Comcast of Oregon I, Inc. (Attachment 1) to allow staff, together with Marion County, sufficient time to complete approval of the cable television franchise agreement.
body
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND:
On October 23, 2017, the City Council authorized the City Manager to execute an additional 180-day extension of the current cable franchise agreement with Comcast, allowing the franchise agreement to continue under the current terms and conditions until April 30, 2018. A renewed franchise agreement will not be finalized prior to the April 30th expiration date of the franchise agreement. Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to execute an extension of the franchise agreement, through June 30, 2018, in order to preserve the current terms and conditions under which Comcast provides cable television services within the City while the negotiated agreement is brought before City Council for approval.
FACTS AND FINDINGS:
Since October, staff completed negotiations of the franchise renewal agreement with Comcast’s local representative and have finalized all agreement language. More time is necessary for City Council to approve the agreement by ordinance, which requires a first and second reading. The agreement will be brought to City Council for first reading on May 14, 2018, with second reading on May 29, 2018.
The agreement will become effective July 1, 2018, with Comcast having 45 days to sign and accept all terms of the agreement.
As with previous cable television franchise negotiations, the City and Marion County are jointly participating in the renewal process, with the advice and recommendations of the Mid-Willamette Valley Cable Regulatory Commission (CRC). On April 18, 2018, the CRC adopted Resolution Number 18-01 (Attachment 2) recommending that the City and Marion County approve an extension of the current franchise agreement to June 30, 2018. If the City Council adopts the recommendation of the staff and the CRC, the Cable Franchise Agreement (Attachment 1) will extend the current franchise terms and conditions through June 30, 2018.
RYAN ZINK
FRANCHISE ADMINISTRATOR
Attachments:
1. Cable Television Franchise Extension Agreement
2. Mid-Willamette Valley Cable Regulatory Commission Resolution No. 18-01