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���� � <br />�� _ � _ , � �_ � <br />' ! 1 <br />To: Mayor and City Council <br />Neal Beets, City Manager - • — <br />From: Chris Miller, Finance I'�ir�::.L�r��.�� <br />Date: March 21,2005 '� <br />Re: Discussion on Municipal-OwnedNetworks <br />Date: 03121/OS <br />Item: 7. <br />Municipally-Owned Networks <br />Introduction <br />Over the past several years, various media outlets have been reporting about the establishment of <br />municipal-owned networks to provide broadband internet service and enhance existing public <br />service networks. Communities such as Chaska, Buffalo, Philadelphia, etc., have all embarked <br />on the delivery of information-based infrastructure/services that are commonly delivered by <br />private-sector firms. <br />Locally, the City of Roseville has been researching and testing available technologies for the <br />purposes of providing citywide internet access and to enhance City programs and services since <br />the mid `90's. More recently, the North Suburban Communications Commissions (NSCC) <br />sponsored a retreat to talk about potential opportunities. <br />While much of the media attention has been focused on the end result, there has been less shared <br />on the reasons why municipalities have entered into this foray. Attached to this memo are a <br />series of articles that address the pertinent issues. While some of the articles are written from a <br />particular viewpoint, they nonetheless touch upon why municipal networks have emerged. In <br />addition, the articles also highlight the downside of these types of networks and why opponents <br />are against them. <br />To gauge whether the City Council wants to expend resources to further study municipal-owned <br />networks, Staff suggests that the Council conduct an exploratory discussion on the whether to <br />pursue such an initiative. To assist the Council in this discussion, the following talking points <br />are submitted: <br />L1 <br />�� <br />3) <br />4) <br />5) <br />Talking Points <br />What common factors are present in current municipal-owned networks? Do they <br />apply in Roseville? <br />Is the current level of broadband service insufficient to meet demand? How have we <br />measured this? <br />If the current level of broadband service insufficient, what is the timetable for <br />improvements? Is this acceptable? <br />Can the City compete long-term with the private sector on this platform? Why or why <br />not? <br />Should the City compete with the private sector on this platform? Why or why not? <br />