Nathan Harris, Tooele County attorney, asked commissioners on the record to table a proposed 30-year franchise renewal agreement with Lumen, also identified in the presentation as Quest Corporation and CenturyLink. Harris said the company would not accept a franchise fee and recommended the county amend its fee schedule before finalizing the contract. “The agreement that is before you does not have any franchise fee in it,” Harris said during his presentation.

Harris told the commission the county has imposed franchise fees on other right-of-way users and that he had negotiated with Lumen for months without reaching agreement on a fee. He recommended tabling the matter so the county could adopt a franchise-fee schedule and return to negotiations with a defined fee. “My recommendation to the council tonight is that this franchise agreement be tabled,” he said.

Councilman Thomas moved to table the franchise agreement; Councilman Hoffman seconded the motion. The commission carried the motion by voice vote.

Next steps, as described by Harris, are for staff to amend the county fee schedule to include a franchise fee and then reopen negotiations with Lumen based on the newly adopted fee structure. Harris said he would bring the fee-schedule amendment back to the commission for consideration.

The commission did not adopt the franchise agreement or set a new meeting date to resume negotiation during the same session; staff will return with an amended fee schedule and recommendations.