This ordinance shall be known and may be cited
as the "El Reno Broadband Telecommunications Network Ordinance."
For the purposes of this ordinance, the following
terms, phrases, words, and their derivations shall have the meaning
given herein, unless otherwise defined by federal or state law. The
words "shall" and "will" are mandatory, and "may" is permissive. Words
not defined herein shall be given the meaning set forth in the Communications
Act of 1934, as amended, including the Cable Communications Policy
Act of 1984, as amended by the Cable Television Consumer Protection
and Competition Act of 1992, and the Telecommunications Act of 1996,
and as may hereinafter be further amended, and if not defined therein,
such words shall have their common and ordinary meaning.
ACCESS CHANNEL
Any channel on a cable system which, by the terms of this
ordinance or otherwise, is required to be kept available without charge
by grantee for partial or total dedication to educational and/or local
government use and over which grantee exercises no editorial control.
ATTORNEY
The City Attorney of the City of El Reno, Oklahoma.
BROADBAND TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK (BTN)
All of the component, physical, operational and programming
elements of any network of cable, optical, electrical or electronic
equipment, designed, constructed, wired or used for the purpose of
producing, receiving, amplifying and transmitting by coaxial cable,
fiber optics, microwave or other means audio and/or audio/visual electrical
impulses of television, radio and other intelligences, either analog
or digital, including cable television for sale or by use by the inhabitants
and businesses of the City, including, without limitation, antenna,
cable, fiber, wires, lines, towers, amplifiers, conductors, converters,
equipment, and facilities.
CABLE ACT
The Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984, as amended,
and the Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act of
1992, as amended, and the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
CABLE SERVICE
The one-way transmission to subscribers of video programming,
or other programming service, and subscriber interaction, if any,
which is required for the selection or use of such video programming
or other programming service.
CITY
The City of El Reno, Oklahoma.
CITY ADMINISTRATOR
The City Manager or his/her designated representative of
the City of El Reno, Oklahoma.
CITY ENGINEER
The City Engineer of the City of El Reno, Oklahoma.
CLERK
The City Clerk of the City of El Reno, Oklahoma.
CONVERTER
A device used to convert non-VHF television signals into
standard VHF channels.
COUNCIL
The City Council of the City of El Reno, Oklahoma.
FCC
The Federal Communications Commission, or its successor agency.
GRANTEE
The person selected by the City Council to hold a nonexclusive
franchise pursuant to the terms and conditions of this ordinance,
together with any person who may succeed "grantee" pursuant to the
provisions of this ordinance.
GROSS REVENUES
All cash, credits, property or other consideration of any
kind or nature received directly or indirectly by the grantee, its
subsidiaries and affiliates who are cable operators arising from,
attributable to, or in any way derived from the operation of the system
to provide cable service within the City. Gross revenues shall include,
but not be limited to: monthly fees charged subscribers for basic
service; any optional, pay-per-view, premium, per-channel or per-program
service or charges for any other type of service; installation, disconnection,
and change in service fees; leased channel fees; fees, payments or
other consideration received from programmers for carriage of cable
service programming; converter and equipment fees, rentals or sales;
advertising revenues; revenues from home shopping channels; fees from
access channels, revenues from studio rental, production fees and
equipment charges when applicable. Gross revenues shall not include
any sales, excise or other taxes or fees which are imposed directly
on any cable service subscriber by any governmental unit or agency
and which are collected by the grantee on behalf of such governmental
unit or agency. Exchange or other nonmonetary compensation shall be
includable in gross revenues at the retail value of the compensation
received by the grantee.
PERMANENT PAVEMENT
Any pavement which, when installed, meets the then-existing
pavement standards of the City of El Reno. In cases of conflict as
to what constitutes permanent pavement, the Street Superintendent's
opinion shall prevail.
PERSON
Any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation,
company or organization of any kind.
PUBLIC WAY
The surface, air space above the surface and the area below
the surface of any public street, sidewalk, alley, other public right-of-way
or public places, and public or private utility easements dedicated
for compatible use.
SUBSCRIBER
Any person whose premises or business is physically wired
to receive any transmission from the BTN and who pays a fee to receive
a service via the BTN.
SYSTEM
The broadband telecommunications network.
The selection of a grantee shall be determined
by the Council in accordance with the following criteria:
A. Installation plan. The Council shall find that grantee's
installation and/or rebuild plans provide flexibility needed to adjust
to new developments, maintenance practices, and services that would
be available to subscribers and to the City immediately and in the
future.
B. Financial soundness and capability: the evidence of
grantee's financial ability to complete the entire system within a
minimum of two years of the date the franchise agreement is executed.
C. Demonstrated experience in operating a BTN system
under City franchise: evidence of grantee's experience in operating
a BTN and ability of the grantee to furnish sufficient and dependable
service to public and private users shall be determined.
D. Character, legal, technical, and other qualifications:
the evidence of character, legal, technical and other qualifications
of grantee required by state and local law to construct a BTN in the
City and to extend the same as the state of the art progresses shall
be determined.
E. Renewals. Renewals for any existing grantee shall
be governed by applicable federal law.
In order for the nonexclusive franchise authorized
by this ordinance to become effective, an election must be held and
a majority of those voting must vote in favor of the granting of such
franchise. In the event a special election is needed, the entire cost
of the election, together with all printing and publishing costs relating
thereto, shall be paid for by applicant, regardless of whether or
not the applicant is granted a franchise at said election. If the
election is held at a scheduled general election, the applicant shall
pay any additional costs which may be incurred by reason of the addition
of the franchise question to the ballot. Such costs shall be paid
regardless of whether or not the applicant is granted a nonexclusive
franchise at said election.
The nonexclusive franchise and the rights, privileges
and authority thereby granted shall take effect and be in full force
from and after final passage thereof by the qualified electors at
a special or general election thereof and shall continue in force
and effect for a term of 15 years from said election or, in the case
of a franchise renewal, from the end of the existing term. Any such
franchise may be subject to formal review at the end of the fifth
and 10th years of the franchise. Should grantee be found upon review
to be in noncompliance with the material provisions of the franchise,
grantee will be given a period of six months to correct those areas
of noncompliance.
Within 30 days after the date of passage by
the qualified electors of the ordinance granting a nonexclusive franchise
pursuant to the terms of this ordinance, the grantee shall execute
a franchise agreement whereby the grantee shall agree to comply with
and abide by the provisions, terms and conditions of this ordinance.
This nonexclusive franchise relates to the present
territorial limits of and within the City and to any area henceforth
added thereto during the terms of this nonexclusive franchise.