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Council advances Visionary Communications franchise to first reading amid negotiation requests
Summary
On first reading Council approved Ordinance 2602 granting Visionary Communications LLC a telecommunications franchise, while one councilor asked that 12 proposed amendments be considered to strengthen city flexibility and taxpayer benefit before further readings.
The council advanced Ordinance 2602, a franchise agreement that would grant Visionary Communications LLC the right to operate and maintain a telecommunications system in Evanston.
Councilor Hageman said she submitted a 12‑point handout proposing contract language changes she believes would better protect taxpayers and increase flexibility. She noted she had not received a substantive response from Visionary and asked whether the city had forwarded her language to the company; the city attorney said he had transmitted the proposals to Visionary.
Council discussion focused on compensation and term length. Council members debated whether a city share of 3% (or a compromise split such as 2% to the city and 1% waived to consumers) might be preferable to the 4% figure proposed in initial local proposals. Staff said the franchise term is 10 years, with a provision allowing either party at five years to request negotiations on terms.
Council also asked about liability and restoration responsibilities if Visionary damages public rights‑of‑way; the attorney said restorations and responsibility for surfaces would be required in easements and rights‑of‑way, and that separate customer agreements would address individual service connections.
Because this was a first reading, the ordinance cannot be adopted yet. Council members agreed there is time to refine contract language and to seek responses from Visionary and River Oaks before the second reading.
Next steps: staff will solicit Visionary’s responses to the proposed language and return the franchise ordinance for further consideration at second reading.
