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HomeMy WebLinkAbout4530RESOLUTION NO. 4 5 3 0 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUBURN, WASHINGTON, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND CITY CLERK TO EXECUTE ADDENDUM IV TO THE CABLE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF AUBURN AND COMCAST OF WASHINGTON WHEREAS, the City of Auburn entered into a Non-Exclusive Franchise Agreement with TCI Cablevision pursuant to Resolution 2409, approved on May 3, 1993; and WHEREAS, certain provisions of Section 5 and Section 8 of the Franchise were amended in Addendum I to the Franchise which was approved June 15, 1998 pursuant to Resolution 2972; and WHEREAS, the date for construction and operation of a public access facility was extended from July 1, 1999 to September 1, 1999 in Addendum 11 to the Franchise which was approved June 21, 1999 pursuant to Resolution 3096; and WHEREAS, this date was further extended to February 1, 2001 in Addendum III to the franchise which was approved November 1, 1999 pursuant to Resolution 3122; and WHEREAS, Comcast of Washington IV, Inc. ("Comcast") is the successor in interest to TCI Cablevision and currently holds the above Franchise; and WHEREAS, the Franchise expired on midnight June 30, 2008; and Resolution No. 4530 December 15, 2009 Page 1 of 3 WHEREAS, the City and Comcast have continued to operate under the Franchise while they have been in discussions regarding the terms under which the Franchise could be extended; and WHEREAS, the City Council finds that the terms set forth in the attached Addendum III to the Franchise, which extends the Franchise for an additional five years, are in the best interest of the City and its citizens, NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUBURN, HEREBY RESOLVES as follows: Section 1. The Mayor and City Clerk of the City of Auburn, Washington, are hereby authorized to execute Addendum IV to the Non-Exclusive Franchise Agreement Between the City of Auburn, Washington and Comcast of Washington IV to Operate a Cable Television System Within the City of Auburn, Washington, a copy of which is attached hereto, marked as Exhibit "A" and incorporated herein by this reference. Section 2. The Mayor is hereby authorized to implement such administrative procedures as may be necessary to carry out the directives of this legislation. Section 3. That this Resolution shall take effect and be in full force upon passage and signatures hereon. Resolution No. 4530 December 15, 2009 Page 2 of 3 Dated and Signed this day of 2010. YO ETER B. LEWIS MAYOR ATTEST: Z-f Danielle E. Daskam, City Clerk APPWVED AS TO FORM: ,r D Cit A orney Resolution No. 4530 December 15, 2009 Page 3 of 3 ADDENDUM IV TO THE NON-EXCLUSIVE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF AUBURN, WASHINGTON AND COMCAST OF WASHINGTON IV, INC. AND COMCAST OF CALIFORNIA/COLORADO/WASHINGTON I, INC. TO OPERATE A CABLE TELEVISION SYSTEM WITHIN THE CITY OF AUBURN, WASHINGTON This ADDENDUM IV regarding extension of the Franchise Agreement and making various changes to the Agreement between the City of Auburn, Washington, and Comcast of Washington IV, Inc. . and Comcast of California/Colorado/Washington I, Inc. and approved by the City Council pursuant to Resolution No. 2409 on May 3, 1993 and amended on June 11, 1998, and further amended on June 15, 1999, is hereby entered into between the CITY OF AUBURN, a Washington municipal corporation, hereinafter referred to as the "CITY" and Comcast of Washington IV, Inc. and Comcast of California/Colorado/Washington I, Inc. a Washington corporation, hereinafter referred to as "OPERATOR." NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows: Section I. For purposes of this Addendum IV, "Franchise" shall mean the Franchise Agreement approved by the City Council pursuant to Resolution No. 2409, as amended by Resolution No. 2972, Resolution No. 3096, and Resolution No. 3122. Section II. Section 2, Length of Franchise, of the Franchise is hereby amended to read as follows: Section 2 Length of Franchise. This Franchise will be continued for five (5) years following the execution date this Addendum IV. Section III. Section 5, Future Provision, of the Franchise is hereby amended to add a new subsection as follows: Page 1 of 5 F. OPERATOR shall annually provide to the City a certification signed by its Vice President of Engineering for the State of Washington, or other senior engineer as agreed upon by the City, certifying that its policies and procedures comply with all applicable laws and codes and that all known maintenance issues have been repaired in compliance therewith. Section IV. Section 6, Access Channels, of the Franchise Agreement is hereby amended to add new subsection D & E as follows: D. PEG Support. Upon the effective date of this Addendum IV, the OPERATOR shall collect and remit to the CITY on a quarterly basis, at the same time as the franchise fee, $0.35 per subscriber per month (the "PEG Fee") for PEG capital purposes from all subscribers paying for cable service. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the PEG Fee may be itemized on Subscriber on Subscriber billing statements. The PEG Fee shall not be treated as franchise fees for purposes of 47 U.S.C. § 542 or any other purpose, and shall at no time be offset or deducted from franchise fee payments made to the CITY under this franchise or applicable law. In the event any payment required by the above paragraph is not made on or before the required date, the OPERATOR, during the period such unpaid amount is owed, shall pay additional compensation and interest charges computed from such due date, at an annual rate of ten percent (10%). Any interest or penalties imposed hereunder shall not be treated as franchise fees for purposes of 47 U.S.C. § 542 or any other purpose, and shall at no time be offset or deducted from franchise fee payments made to the CITY under this franchise or applicable law. E. Subject to applicable law, so long as OPERATOR's basic service tier is carried in an analog format, it shall continue to cablecast the City's PEG channels in both an analog and digital format. If OPERATOR opts to eliminate its analog cable service and carry PEG channels solely in a digital format, it shall maintain, at no cost to the CITY, all transmission equipment, decoders, and electronic switching necessary to transmit the CITY's PEG video signals from the CITY to OPERATOR and OPERATOR shall assume all other costs necessary to ensure that PEG signals can be transmitted on OPERATOR's digital service tier. OPERATOR will use reasonable efforts to minimize the movement of CITY-designated PEG Channel assignments and maintain common Channel assignments for compatible PEG programming. If OPERATOR proposes to change the channel designation, for the CITY-designated PEG channel, OPERATOR will Page 2 of 5 provide at least three (3) months notice to the CITY prior to implementing the change. If OPERATOR makes changes in the System and related equipment and facilities or in signal delivery technology, which change directly cause the signal quality or transmission of PEG channel programming or PEG services to fall below technical standards under applicable law, OPERATOR shall, at its own expense, provide any necessary technical assistance, transmission equipment and provide necessary assistance so that PEG facilities may be used as intended. PEG channels shall be transmitted in the same quality and format as all other basic cable service channels. Section V. Section 8, Institutional Networks, of the Franchise is hereby deleted. The CITY and OPERATOR have entered into a separate and independent lease agreement regarding the Institutional Network. Section VI. Section 11, Coverage, of the Franchise is hereby amended to add a new subsection B as follows: B. Areas subsequently annexed shall be provided with cable availability within twelve (12) months of Council Approval of the annexation and written notice to the Operator Cable Service, subject to the terms in Section 13 herein. Section VII. Section 15, Public Buildings, of the Franchise is hereby amended to add a new subsection B as follows: B. Upon request through the designated CITY representative, the OPERATOR will voluntarily make available without charge, as long as the parties agree that it is economically feasible, a standard installation and a minimum of one outlet of Basic and Expanded Basic Cable Services to City administrative buildings as designated by the CITY (whether they are owned or leased), and fire station(s), police station(s), libraries, Access facilities and K-12 public School(s). The recipient of the service will secure any necessary right of entry. The Cable Service will not be used for commercial purposes, and the outlets will not be located in jail cells or areas open to the public, except for one outlet to be located in public lobbies in CITY buildings that will be used by the public for viewing. The CITY will take reasonable precautions to prevent any use of the OPERATOR's Cable System in any manner that results in inappropriate use, loss or damage to the Cable System. If additional outlets of Cable Service are needed within such buildings, only the Page 3of5 OPERATOR is authorized to complete the Cable Service expansion to support the outlet installation(s) and the building occupant will pay the standard installation fees; provided however, the CITY may construct and maintain additional outlets beyond OPERATOR's required outlet in accordance with OPERATOR specifications that OPERATOR will supply when requested by the CITY. Section VIII. A new Section 24, Modification, is hereby added to the Franchise to read as follows: Section 24, Modifications. No provision of this Franchise Agreement shall be amended or otherwise modified, in whole or in part, except by an instrument, in writing, duly executed by the Franchising Authority and the OPERATOR, which amendment shall be authorized on behalf of the Franchising Authority through the adoption of an appropriate resolution or order by the Franchising Authority, as required by applicable law. Section IX. A new Section 25, Competitive Equity, is hereby added to the Franchise to read as follows: Section 25, Competitive Equity. A. Any franchise granted pursuant to Chapter 13.36 of the Auburn City Code shall be nonexclusive and shall not preclude the CITY from granting other or further franchises or permits or preclude the CITY from using any roads, rights-of-way, streets, or other public properties or affect its jurisdiction over them or any part of them, or limit the full power of the CITY to make such changes, as the CITY shall deem necessary, including the dedication, establishment, maintenance and improvement of all new rights-of-way and thoroughfares and other public properties. The CITY reserves the right to grant one (1) or more additional franchises. The CITY shall amend this franchise, as requested by the OPERATOR, if it grants additional franchises or similar authorizations that contain material terms or conditions which are substantially more favorable or less burdensome to the competitive entity than the material terms and conditions herein. A word for word identical franchise or authorization for a competitive entity is not required so long as the regulatory and financial burdens on each entity are generally equivalent taking into account any difference in the number of subscribers served, the number of PEG channels and aggregate support provided, the level of fees and taxes imposed, the term of the franchise, and all other circumstances affecting the relative burdens. Page 4 of 5 B. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, at any time prior to the commencement of the OPERATOR's thirty-six (36) month renewal window provided by 47 U.S.C. § 546, that a non-wireless facilities based entity, legally authorized by state or federal law, makes available for purchase by Subscribers or customers, Cable Services or multiple channels of Video Programming within the Franchise Area without a franchise or other similar lawful authorization granted by the CITY, then the OPERATOR shall have a right to request Franchise amendments that relieve the OPERATOR of regulatory burdens that create a competitive disadvantage to the OPERATOR. In requesting amendments, the OPERATOR shall file a petition seeking to amend the franchise. Such petition shall: (1) indicate the presence of such wireline competitor; and (2) identify all material terms or conditions which are substantially more favorable or less burdensome to the competitive entity. The CITY shall act on the petition within 120 days. Section X. Remaining Terms Unchanged. That all other provisions of the Franchise shall remain unchanged, and in full force and effect. DATED THIS % ~DAY OF , 2010 City of Auburn Peter B. Lewis, Mayor Comcast of Washington IV, Inc. Comcast of California/Colorado/Washington I, Inc. 7/1-19v~_ Z/~~ - By: motny T. Nester Its: SVP - Finanoe and Accounting Attest: Danielle E. Daskam, City Clerk iel B. Heid, City Date: A Effective Date: Apr/i'W7~ 2010 City of Auburn: Comcast: Page 5 of 5