[Ord. No. 2009-20 § 1]
The municipality hereby grants to the company its nonexclusive
consent to place in, upon, along, across, above, over and under the
highway, streets, alleys, sidewalks, public ways, and public places
in the municipality, poles, wires, cables, and fixtures necessary
for the maintenance and operation in the municipality of a cable television
system and cable communications system. Construction, pursuant to
said consent, is conditioned upon prior approval of the Board of Public
Utilities.
[Ord. No. 2009-20 § 2]
For the purposes of this chapter, the following terms, phrases,
words and their derivations shall have the meaning given herein. Such
meaning or definition of terms is supplemental to those definitions
given by the Federal Communications Commission (F.C.C.) Rules and
Regulations, 47 C.F.R. subsection 76.1 et seq., and the Cable Communications
Policy Act, 47 U.S.C. section 521 et seq., as amended, and the Cable
Television Act, N.J.S.A. 48:5A-1 et seq., and shall in no way be construed
to broaden, alter or conflict with Federal or State definitions:
Shall mean Chapter 186 of the General Laws of New Jersey,
and subsequent amendment thereto, section 48:5A-1 et seq.
Shall mean the grantee of rights under this chapter and is
known as Service Electric Cable T.V. of New Jersey, Inc.
Shall mean the Township of Wantage, County of Sussex, State
of New Jersey.
[Ord. No. 2009-20 § 3]
A public hearing concerning the consent herein granted to the
Company was held, after proper public notice, on August 13, 2009,
pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Act. Said hearing, having
been held and fully open to the public, and the municipality having
received all comments regarding the qualifications of the Company
to receive this consent, the municipality hereby finds that the Company
possesses the necessary legal, technical, character, financial, and
other qualifications, and that the Company's operating and construction
arrangements are adequate and feasible.
[Ord. No. 2009-20 § 4]
The Township hereby grants to the Company a nonexclusive consent
to the issuance of a franchise by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities
to construct, erect, operate, modify and maintain, in, upon, along,
across, above, over, and under the highways, streets, alleys, sidewalks,
public ways and public places now laid out or dedicated and all extensions
thereof and additions thereto, in the Township of Wantage, such poles,
wires, cables, underground conduits, manholes, and other television
conductors and fixtures necessary for the maintenance and operation
in the Township of a cable television system and cable communications
system for the purpose of distributing television and radio signals,
and other electronic impulses in order to furnish television and radio
programs, and various communications and other electronic services
to the public. The rights so granted include the right to use and
occupy said highways, streets, alleys, public ways and public places,
and all manner of easements for the purpose herein set forth and as
provided by Federal and State law, and are subject to the terms and
conditions herein.
[Ord. No. 2009-20 § 5]
The consent herein granted shall expire 15 years from the date
of expiration of the previous Certificate of Approval as issued by
the Board of Public Utilities (BPU). The Company further agrees to
extend service to the entire Township and to build out all uncabled
areas of the Township.
[Ord. No. 2009-20 § 6]
Pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Act, the Company
shall, during each year of operation under the consent granted herein,
pay to the municipality 2% of the gross revenues from all recurring
charges in the nature of subscription fees paid by subscribers to
its cable television reception service in the municipality, or any
amount permitted by the Cable Television Act or otherwise allowable
by law.
[Ord. No. 2009-20 § 7]
Rates shall be set by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities
as required by law or as otherwise specified by Federal or State law,
to the extent applicable.
[Ord. No. 2009-20 § 8]
In the event the Company breaches its responsibilities herein,
the Township reserves the right to seek redress administratively through
the Board of Public Utilities, or at law in a court of competent jurisdiction.
The Company will restore any property damaged by the installation
of its wires or facilities to its original condition at its own cost
and expense. In the event it fails to so restore said property upon
the receipt of 30 days' written notice by the Township to do
so, the Township may withdrawn a portion of the performance bond posted
with the Township to compensate to the owner for the restoration cost.
The event said funds are withdrawn, the Company shall restore the
balance of the $25,000 performance bond upon 30 days' written
notice by the Township to do so.
[Ord. No. 2009-20 § 9]
The consent granted herein to the Company shall apply to the
entirety of the municipality, and any property hereafter annexed.
[Ord. No. 2009-20 § 10]
The Company shall be required to proffer service to any persons,
residents or business in conformance with its Tariff on file with
the Office of Cable Television including any policies for nonstandard
installations.
[Ord. No. 2009-20 § 11]
In the event that the Company or its agents shall disturb any
pavement, streets, surfaces, sidewalks, driveways or other surfaces
in the natural topography, the Company shall, at its sole expense,
restore and replace such places or things so disturbed to as good
a condition as existed prior to the commencement of said work.
[Ord. No. 2009-20 § 11]
If at any time during the period of this consent, the municipality
shall alter or change the grade of any street, alley or other way
or place, the Company, upon reasonable notice by the municipality,
shall remove, re-lay and relocate its equipment, at the expense of
the Company.
The Company shall temporarily move or remove appropriate parts
of its facilities to allow for the moving of buildings, and machinery,
or in other similar circumstances. The expense shall be borne by the
party requesting such action, except when required by the municipality,
in which case the Company shall bear the cost.
[Ord. No. 2009-20 § 11]
During the exercise of its rights and privileges under this
franchise, the Company shall have the authority to trim trees upon
and overhanging streets, alleys, sidewalks and public places of the
municipality, so as to prevent the branches of such trees from coming
in contact with the wires and cables of the Company. Such trimming
shall be only to the extent necessary to maintain proper clearance
for the Company's facilities.
[Ord. No. 2009-20 § 12]
During the term of this franchise, and any renewal thereof,
the Company shall maintain a local business office in Sussex County
for the purpose of receiving, investigating and resolving all complaints
regarding the quality of service, equipment, malfunctions, and similar
matters. Such local business office shall be staffed from 7:00 a.m.
to 11:00 p.m. to receive complaints and requests for repair service
telephonically. Said local business office shall be open during normal
business hours, and in no event less than 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday
through Friday.
[Ord. No. 2009-20 § 13]
The Office of Cable Television is hereby designated as the complaint
officer for the municipality, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 48:5a-25(b). All
complaints shall be received and processed in accordance with N.J.A.C.
14:17-1.
[Ord. No. 2009-20 § 14]
During the life of the franchise, the Company shall give bond
to the municipality, which bond shall be in the amount of $25,000.
Such bond shall be to insure the faithful performance of all undertakings
of the Company as represented in its Application and incorporated
herein.
[Ord. No. 2009-20 § 15]
The Company shall provide public, educational, and governmental
(PEG) access channels and facilities in accordance with its Application
for Renewal of Municipal Consent.
[Ord. No. 2009-20 § 16]
The Company shall provide services in accordance with its Tariff
for Cable Television Service approved by the Board of Public Utilities
on January 1, 2009.
[Ord. No. 2009-20 § 17]
Although nothing herein shall require the Company to carry or
transmit any particular television stations or programming source,
the Company shall provide the subscribers in the Township with at
least the same broad categories of programming, in approximately the
same quantity, as are now provided, and which appear in the Application
for Municipal Consent.
[Ord. No. 2009-20 § 18]
The Company agrees to maintain and keep in full force and effect,
at its sole expense, at all times during the term of this consent,
sufficient liability insurance naming the municipality as an insured
and insuring against loss by such claim, suit, judgment, executor
or demand, in the minimum amount of $1,000,000 combined single limit
for bodily injury or death to one person and $500,000 for property
damage resulting from any one accident.
The contractor building the cable television lines shall file
the worker's compensation certificate of insurance with the Township
Clerk prior to commencing the work.
[Ord. No. 2009-20 § 19]
The Company shall cause all construction plans relating to work
on any extensions of its plant, or work which could have significant
impact on public works within the Township, to be filed with the Township
Engineer's Office.
[Ord. No. 2009-20 § 20]
The Company shall not all its cable or other operations to interfere
with television reception or persons not served by the Company, nor
shall the system interfere with, obstruct or hinder in any manner,
the operation of the various utilities serving the residents of the
Township.
[Ord. No. 2009-20 § 21]
All of the commitments and statements contained in the Application
and any amendment thereto submitted in writing to the municipality
by the Company, except as modified herein, are binding upon the Company
as terms and conditions of this consent. The Application and any other
relevant writings submitted by the Company shall be annexed hereto
and made a part hereof by reference, as long as it does not conflict
with State or Federal law.
[Ord. No. 2009-20 § 22]
Should any section, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase of
this chapter be declared unconstitutional or invalid for any reason
by any Court of competent jurisdiction, such provision(s) shall be
deemed severable and the remaining portions of this chapter shall
remain in full force and effect.
[Ord. No. 2009-20 § 23]
Should any of the Federal or State Acts, Regulations, or pronouncements applicable to the regulation of cable television service be modified in any way, such modification, to the extent it embodies required terms and conditions, and meaningfully can be incorporated into this chapter, shall be so incorporated, consistent with any applicable effective dates specified in such modification. To the extent that any such modification(s) place(s) limits on permissible terms and conditions, and any provision of this chapter becomes invalid by virtue of such modification(s), the preceding section, Section 25-22, shall apply.
[Ord. No. 2009-20 § 24]
All ordinances or parts of ordinances or resolutions that are
inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter are repealed to the
extent of such inconsistency.
[Ord. No. 2009-20 § 25]
This chapter shall take effect upon its final passage and publication
according to law.
