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Regular City Council Meeting Monday, March 8, 2010 Page 5 Roll Call Ayes: Roe; Pust; Ihlan; Johnson; and Klausing. Nays: None. b. Adopt a Resolution Supporting a Fiber Infrastructure Grant (Former Con- sent Item 7.d) At the request of Mayor Klausing, Acting City Manager Chris Miller briefly re- viewed this item as detailed in the Request for Council Action (RCA) dated March 8, 2010. Mr. Miller advised that this was the second round of funding through the Economic Stimulus Fund (ESF) for this partnership opportunity; not- ing that the grant application process was very competitive. However, Mr. Miller noted the financial advantages for installation and deployment of the network sys- tem in connecting to various facilities and institutions in the metropolitan area, with no local dollars involved if the grant application was successful. Mr. Miller advised that, if successful, the City would bring forward a separate agreement for City Council approval fora 30 year agreement securing six strands of fiber, with a nominal maintenance fee for the City, far lower than the costs for maintaining the existing city-owned fiber. Discussion included the other entities involved in applying and partnering as a consortium with this specific agency, consisting of 18 different boards and/or city councils; separate application of Ramsey County and the City of St. Paul, partner- ing with another firm; future agreements in place to ensure that the City's cost would be based on a set fee per fiber mile for the portions used, and not based on the number of participating partners to pick up their shares; and whether there were other places in the marketplace that could provide more economic benefit to the City in the long-run; and complementary rather than competitive applications for the entire metropolitan area. Councilmember Roe, as the City's NSCC representative, spoke in support of a 30 year agreement, and also in support of making it extendable or renewable; allow- ing the City to tie into this commercial project for the benefit of the City, allowing a proactive alternative to the current I-Net availability and franchise agreement with Comcast, up for renewal in 2013. Roe moved, Johnson seconded, adoption of Resolution No. 10793 entitled, "Reso- lution Supporting Broadband Technology Opportunity Program (BROP) Grant Applications for the Development of a Comprehensive Community Network to Benefit Public Institutions in the Northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area." Roll Call Ayes: Roe; Pust; Ihlan; Johnson; and Klausing. Nays: None. • c. Approve 2010 Employee Conference Attendance (Former Consent Item 7.e)