Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure Fiber topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Tuscaloosa approves franchise agreement for Alabama Federal Network middle‑mile fiber
Summary
Members approved a 10‑year franchise agreement allowing Alabama Federal Network to place middle‑mile fiber in public rights‑of‑way under new bonding and repair standards; the agreement allows notice, cure periods and potential termination for violations.
Tuscaloosa City members approved a franchise agreement permitting Alabama Federal Network to install middle‑mile fiber in the city’s public rights‑of‑way, city staff said.
The agreement sets a 10‑year initial term with automatic five‑year renewals, includes requirements for a local contact and timelines to repair work, and references a new city code section requiring bonds before street cuts, Chris England (role/title not specified) said at the meeting.
City staff described the contract as a middle‑mile network deployment rather than residential broadband. "We're considered a middle mile network rather than a residential network," Chris Skelton (role/title not specified) said, adding the company intends to serve colleges and other large community anchors and to stay within main public rights‑of‑way rather than residential streets.
England said state constitutional and state law requirements make a franchise agreement necessary for any entity seeking to use the public right‑of‑way. He also described changes in recent franchise agreements to require a contact person and performance standards so the city can require repairs or draw on bonds if street cuts are not properly restored.
A company representative said the project is grant funded and under scrutiny from state partners; the representative described the funding as provided "through Adecco to the governor's office in the state of Alabama," as stated in the meeting.
Council members asked whether the contract is open‑ended; England said the initial term is 10 years and it renews automatically for five‑year periods, and that the agreement provides notice‑and‑cure steps and, ultimately, the ability to revoke or qualify the franchise if violations are not corrected.
The motion to approve the franchise agreement received a second and was put to a voice vote; the chair announced the motion passed. Individual roll‑call votes were not specified in the meeting record.
The item followed questions from members about where crews would locate equipment and whether the company would place driver pockets or cut residential lines; the company said its footprint would be limited to main roadside public rights‑of‑way and community anchors.
No formal amendments to the contract were recorded during the discussion.
