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WHEREAS, Section 626(a)(1) of the Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984, as
<br /> amended (the "Cable Act"), 47 U.S.C. § 546(a)(1), provides that if a written renewal
<br /> request is submitted by a cable operator during the 6-month period which begins with the
<br /> 36th month before franchise expiration and ends with the 30th month prior to franchise
<br /> expiration, a franchising authority shall, within six months of the request, commence
<br /> formal proceedings to identify the future cable-related community needs and interests and
<br /> to review the performance of the cable operator under its franchise during the then
<br /> current franchise term; and
<br /> WHEREAS, by letters dated October 11, 2010, and November 23, 2010, from Comcast
<br /> to each of the Member Cities, including the City, Comcast invoked the formal renewal
<br /> procedures set forth in Section 626 of the Cable Act, 47 U.S.C. § 546; and
<br /> WHEREAS, the City and the other Member Cities informed the Commission, by
<br /> resolution, that they want the Commission and/or its designee(s) to commence, manage
<br /> and conduct the formal renewal process specified in Section 626(a)-(g) of the Cable Act,
<br /> 47 U.S.C. § 546(a)-(g), on their behalf; and
<br /> WHEREAS, the City has affirmed, by resolution, the Commission's preexisting
<br /> authority under the Joint Powers Agreement to take any and all steps required or desired
<br /> to comply with the Franchise renewal and related requirements of the Cable Act,
<br /> Minnesota law and the Franchises; and
<br /> WHEREAS, the Joint Powers Agreement empowers the Commission and/or its
<br /> designee(s) to conduct the Section 626 formal franchise renewal process on behalf of the
<br /> City and to take such other steps and actions as are needed or required to carry out the
<br /> formal franchise renewal process; and
<br /> WHEREAS, the Commission adopted Resolution No. 2011-02 commencing formal
<br /> franchise renewal proceedings under Section 626(a) of the Cable Act, 47 U.S.C. § 546(a),
<br /> and authorizing the Commission or its designee(s) to take certain actions to conduct those
<br /> Section 626(a)proceedings; and
<br /> WHEREAS, the Commission performed a detailed needs assessment of the Member
<br /> Cities' and their communities' present and future cable-related needs and interests and
<br /> has evaluated and continues to evaluate Comcast's past performance under the Franchises
<br /> and applicable laws and regulations, all as required by Section 626(a) of the Cable Act,
<br /> 47 U.S.C. § 546(a); and
<br /> WHEREAS, the Commission's needs ascertainment and past performance review
<br /> produced the following reports: The Buske Group's "Community Needs Ascertainment—
<br /> North Suburban Communications Commission(Arden Hills, Falcon Heights, Lauderdale,
<br /> Little Canada, Mounds View, New Brighton, North Oaks, Roseville, St. Anthony and
<br /> Shoreview, Minnesota)" (July 15, 2013) (the "Needs Assessment Report'); Group W
<br /> Communications, LLC's, telephone survey and report titled "North Suburban
<br /> Communications Commission Cable Subscriber Survey (September 2011)" (the
<br /> "Telephone Survey Report'); CBG Communications, Inc.'s, "Final Report - Evaluation
<br />
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