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Council authorizes mayor to sign 10-year Comcast franchise agreement
Summary
After a decade of negotiations, the council authorized the mayor to sign a nonexclusive 10-year franchise with Comcast that preserves the city's 5% franchise fee and requires Comcast to file a $2 million bond for right-of-way work; the agreement omits public-access channels present in older contracts.
Staff told the council the city has negotiated a 10-year nonexclusive franchise agreement with Comcast to construct and operate a cable system in public utility easements. The current operating arrangement had been month-to-month since the prior agreement expired in 2013, and staff said the new franchise clarifies liability, restoration obligations and bonding.
Goodwin described key terms: the franchise fee remains the statutory 5%, Comcast will file a $2,000,000 bond for construction and restoration obligations, and the agreement does not include public educational or government access channels that appeared in earlier contracts. A motion to authorize the mayor to sign the proposed agreement passed on a voice vote.
Staff said the agreement is nonexclusive and allows for better terms if another video provider negotiates improved provisions later; Comcast would receive the better terms if they become standard. The council instructed staff to finalize and execute the contract.
