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Council hears Midco franchise renewal proposal; staff flags Town Square outage as a private access issue
Summary
The council reviewed a 10‑year Midco franchise renewal at the statutory 5% fee and a provision to require Midco facilities to be buried unless the city grants permission; members also discussed a local building (Town Square) that has lost cable service because property owners have not granted access for Midco’s transition to streaming-based service.
City staff brought a draft resolution to renew Midco’s 10-year cable franchise on Sept. 9, retaining the statutory 5% franchise fee and adding a clause that Midco’s facilities be placed underground unless the city grants an exception.
Mr. Hutton told council members the renewal would largely mirror the expiring franchise and address prior required changes around free cable service to public buildings to comply with FCC orders. "The current franchise of the 10-year term which expires in December... we have a resolution to renew the MidCo franchise uh for an additional 10 years," he said.
Council members raised a related operational concern: Town Square (a privately owned building) has not had cable service for several months. Mr. K. and Mayor Olstead said the owners have not given Midco access to install new streaming-oriented equipment; as a result Midco has been transitioning off coax and, where it cannot install its newer equipment, has ended traditional coax service. Staff said the city’s options are limited because the building is privately owned and the issue appears to be an access dispute between the property owner and Midco.
Next steps: the franchise-renewal resolution will be placed on the council’s agenda for future action; staff will also pursue any limited municipal options to support residents who lack service but noted remedies are constrained by property‑access and private-contract issues.
