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f�� � REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION Department Approval Date: June 16, 2014 Item No.: 13.b City Manager Approval ��- Item Description: Consider Renewal of Comcast of Minnesota, Inc. Cable Franchise BACKGROUND The City of Roseville is part of the North Suburban Communications Commission (NSCC), a joint power organization that oversees the operation of the cities' cable franchises in the area. There are ten cities that are part of the NSCC (Roseville, Arden Hills, Falcon Heights, Lauderdale, Little Canada, Mounds View, New Brighton, North Oaks, St. Anthony, and Shoreview). The NSCC acts on behalf the member cities to enforce and administer the member cities' franchises and monitor the overall performance of the cable franchisee with their customers. Additionally, the ten cities jointly established the North Suburban Access Corporation (NSAC), which is as a separate and distinct non-profit corporation for the purpose of managing and operating the community access programming, channels, equipment, and facilities resulting from the existence of the cable franchise agreements of the 10 member cities. The NSAC operates CTV's media center on Arthur Street in Roseville, which provides training on video production to the communities, equipment for local volunteer producers to produce their programs, and staffing and services to physically program the access channels of CTV and many of the member cities and school districts. The existing cable franchise with Comcast is set to expire in November 2014, after a 1-year extension that was agreed between the cities and Comcast in 2013 to allow more time for the renewal process. Based on a Request far Franchise Renewal Proposal (RFRP) created by the NSCC, Comcast submitted a proposal to the cities for consideration in December 2013. The NSCC has reviewed the proposal and held of the required public hearing on the proposal this spring. On May 15, 2014, the NSCC adopted a resolution recommending that the member cities of the NSCC issue a preliminary assessment that the Comcast franchise should not be reviewed. As set forth in the relevant laws, city action on Comcast's formal proposal must be taken by June 20. In addition to considering this formal proposal from Comcast, the cities, through NSCC, continue to work toward an informal negotiated franchise renewal agreement with Comcast. Representatives from the NSCC and Comcast will be in attendance to provide information about their respective positions regarding the Comcast proposal and answer any questions the City Council may have. POLICY OBJECTIVE A cable franchise agreement allows for managed use of right-of-way to benefit the community. The franchise agreement provides resources to the City in exchange for the use of City right-of- Page 1 of 2