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Council opens public hearing on Lumen/Forged Fiber franchise; applicant says service will add options, council requests more detail
Summary
Mountlake Terrace opened a public hearing on a proposed franchise agreement with Forged Fiber (a subsidiary of AT&T) to govern use of city rights‑of‑way. Applicant representative said the plan partitions Lumen assets and will expand options; council asked staff to return with details about services, pole occupancy and low‑income broadband options. No vote on final franchise tonight.
The Mountlake Terrace City Council opened and then closed a public hearing April 2 on a proposed franchise agreement with Forged Fiber 37, a subsidiary of AT&T that is partitioning a portion of Lumen’s existing fiber assets in the city’s right‑of‑way.
Public Works Director Gary Shimek described the draft franchise agreement and ordinance as an overarching document that sets rules for how the company would operate in city limits; he noted permits and project‑level approvals remain separate and that existing agreements with CenturyLink, Level 3 and Time Warner would continue under the Lumen umbrella.
Carly Nations, the applicant representative for Forged Fiber 37, said the company views the proposal as an opportunity to provide more options and services for Mountlake Terrace residents and thanked city staff for their work on the draft agreement.
Council members pressed staff on details the franchise does not typically include. Council member Page asked about historical impacts on consumer pricing as the parent companies consolidated; Shimek said the city typically does not track customer pricing and agreed to research whether cost terms could be included. Council member Sonmore asked whether the franchise would guarantee expanded service offerings or pole‑related improvements; Shimek said service packages are separate from the franchise text but that staff will follow up with the applicant and the city attorney and return with more information prior to second reading.
Mayor Pro Tem moved to open the public hearing; the council approved the motion by voice vote. After Nations’ brief testimony, the council voted to close the public hearing; staff indicated the ordinance will return for a second reading (state law requires a minimum interval of more than five days).
Council members also raised the possibility of negotiating for low‑income broadband options and asked staff to report back on examples other cities have used and any options that could be negotiated or encouraged through franchise discussions. No final action to adopt the franchise ordinance was taken tonight.
