A. 
Any person desiring an initial franchise for a cable television system shall file an application with the City in accordance with the provisions of this section.
B. 
An application for an initial franchise for a cable television system shall contain, where applicable:
(1) 
A statement as to the proposed franchise and service area.
(2) 
A resume of the prior history of the applicant, including the legal, technical and financial expertise of the applicant in the cable television field.
(3) 
A list of the partners, general and limited, of the applicant, if a partnership, or the percentage of stock owned or controlled by each shareholder, if a corporation.
(4) 
A list of the officers, directors and managing employees of the applicant, together with a description of the background of each such person.
(5) 
The names and addresses of any parent or subsidiary of the applicant or any other business entity owning or controlling the applicant in whole or in part, or owned or controlled in whole or in part by the applicant.
(6) 
A current financial statement of the applicant verified by a certified public accountant audit or otherwise certified to be complete and correct to the reasonable satisfaction of the City.
(7) 
A proposed construction and service schedule.
(8) 
Any additional information that the City deems reasonably necessary to determine whether the applicant has to construct, operate, and maintain a cable television system and provide cable service in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
C. 
A nonrefundable application fee in the amount of $3,000 shall accompany the application. Such application fees shall not be deemed to be franchise fees within the meaning of Section 622 of the Cable Act (47 U.S.C. § 542), and such payments shall not be deemed to be:
(1) 
Payments in kind or any involuntary payments chargeable against the compensation to be paid to the City by a grantee pursuant to § 142-18 hereof and applicable provisions of a franchise agreement; or
(2) 
Part of the compensation to be paid to the City by a grantee pursuant to Section 622 of the Cable Act and applicable provisions of a franchise agreement.
A. 
Upon receipt of an application for a franchise in accordance with the provisions of § 142-5, the Council shall determine the applicant's qualifications to construct, operate, and maintain a cable television system and to provide cable service in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. If the Council determines that the applicant is not so qualified, it may refuse to grant the requested franchise. If the Council determines that the applicant is so qualified, it may, by ordinance, grant a franchise to such applicant, to be effective as provided in this section. No provision of this chapter may be deemed or construed to require the granting of a franchise when the Council determines that to do so would not be in the public interest.
B. 
Within 30 days after the Council has taken final action to approve the granting of a franchise, the grantee shall file with the City Clerk a written acceptance of the conditions required for the franchise, acknowledged before a notary public. Such acceptance shall acknowledge that the grantee agrees to the bound by and to comply with the provisions of this chapter and the franchise and shall be in a form approved by the City Attorney.
C. 
Concurrently with the filing of the written acceptance, the grantee shall file with the City Clerk the bond, letter of credit, and insurance policies required by §§ 142-27 through 142-29 of this chapter.
D. 
The effective date of any franchise granted shall be the date on which the grantee files the acceptance, bond, and proofs of insurance as required herein. However, if any of the material required to be filed with the acceptance or the acceptance itself is defective or fails to meet with approval, the franchise shall not be effective until such defect is cured or such approval is obtained.
E. 
If the grantee fails to accept the franchise and file the information required under this section within the time limit set forth in Subsection B, the Council may, at any time thereafter before acceptance, summarily revoke the franchise. Written notice of such revocation shall be sent to the grantee forthwith.
Any franchise granted may be for a term of up to 20 years from the date the Council takes final action to approve such franchise. The term of the franchise shall be specified in the franchise.
Any franchise granted shall be nonexclusive and the rights granted are of a personal nature. The City specifically reserves the right to grant, at any time, such additional franchise for a cable television system or any component thereof as it deems appropriate, subject to applicable state and federal law.
A. 
The City may grant one or more franchises for a service area. The City may, in its sole discretion, limit the number of franchises granted, based upon, but not necessarily limited to, the requirements of applicable law and specific local considerations, such as:
(1) 
The capacity of the public rights-of-way to accommodate multiple cables in addition to the cables, conduits and pipes of the utility systems, such as electrical power, telephone, gas and sewage.
(2) 
The impact on the community of having multiple franchises.
(3) 
The disadvantages that may result from cable system competition, such as the requirement for multiple pedestals on residents' property, and the disruption arising from numerous excavations of the rights-of-way.
(4) 
The advantages that may result from cable service competition, such as provider choice, improved service and reduced fee for service costs.
(5) 
The financial capabilities of the applicant and its guaranteed commitment to make the necessary financial investment and to maintain and operate the proposed system for the duration of the franchise term.
B. 
Subject to the provisions of §§ 142-16 and 142-17, any additional franchise granted by the City to provide cable service in a part of the City in which a franchise has already been granted and where an existing grantee is providing service shall require the new grantee to provide service throughout its service area within a reasonable time and in a sequence which does not discriminate against lower income residents.
A. 
No transfer of control of a franchise or assignment of a franchise to operate a cable television system, other than a pro forma transfer or assignment to a parent or wholly owned subsidiary corporation or other form of organization, shall take place, whether by force or voluntary sale, lease, mortgage, assignment, encumbrance, foreclosure, attachment, merger, or other form of disposition, without prior notice to and approval by the Council. The notice shall include full identifying particulars of the proposed transaction, and the Council shall act by resolution. The Council shall have 125 days after the receipt of the notice and all supporting documents within which to approve or disapprove a transfer of control or assignment of the franchise. If the proposed transfer or assignment is not acted upon within 125 days, approval shall be deemed to have been given.
B. 
Notice of any such proposed transfer or assignment, together with copies of all documents pertaining thereto, shall be in writing and filed with the City Clerk. The proposed transferee or assignee shall agree in writing to comply with all provisions of this chapter and such other provisions and requirements as the Council might require.
C. 
For the purpose of this section the term "control" is not limited to majority stock ownership but includes actual working control in whatever manner exercised. A rebuttable presumption that a transfer of control has occurred shall arise upon the acquisition or accumulation by any person or group of persons of 10% of the voting shares of the grantee.
D. 
In the absence of extraordinary circumstances, the Council will not approve any transfer or assignment of the franchise before completion of initial construction of the energized system or within the first two years of operation thereafter.
Franchise renewals shall be in accordance with applicable law, including, but not necessarily limited to, the Cable Act. The City and the grantee, by mutual consent, may enter into renewal negotiations at any time during the term of the franchise.
A. 
The Council may terminate at any time any franchise granted hereunder and rescind all rights and privileges associated therewith in the event that:
(1) 
The grantee has not complied in some material respect with any provision of this chapter, or of any supplemental written agreement entered into by and between the City and the grantee, or of any terms or conditions of any franchise or permit issued hereunder;
(2) 
The grantee has made a material, false statement in the application for the franchise, knowing it to be false;
(3) 
The grantee, contrary to the best interest of public convenience and welfare, is not providing subscribers with regular, adequate, and proper service, consistent with the terms of any franchise granted hereunder;
(4) 
The grantee becomes insolvent, enters into receivership or liquidation, files for bankruptcy or for composition of creditors, is unable or unwilling to pay its debts as they mature or is in financial difficulty of sufficient consequence so as to jeopardize the continued operation of the cable television system, unless the grantee is in due process of contesting such debts;
(5) 
The grantee violates any FCC order or ruling or the order or ruling of any other governmental body having jurisdiction over the grantee, unless the grantee is lawfully contesting the legality or applicability of such order; or
(6) 
The operation of the cable television system is discontinued for a continuous period of 30 days.
B. 
If the City proposes to terminate for cause a franchise granted hereunder, it shall give the grantee 60 days' written notice of its intention to terminate and stipulate the cause. If during the sixty-day period the cause shall be cured to the satisfaction of the City, the City shall declare the notice to be null and void. In any event, before a franchise may be terminated the grantee must be provided with an opportunity to be heard before the Council in accordance with due process procedures. If a grantee's franchise is terminated, the decision shall be subject to a judicial review as provided by law.
A. 
Upon expiration or termination of a franchise, the City may require the grantee to continue to provide service for a reasonable period (not to exceed six months) in order to assure uninterrupted service to subscribers.
B. 
Upon expiration or termination of a franchise, for so long as the grantee continues to operate the cable television system thereafter, the grantee shall remain subject to the provisions of the expired or terminated franchise, unless and until a new franchise is issued to such grantee.
A. 
Upon the expiration or termination of a franchise, the Council may advertise and seek another grantee to operate the system. The Council, in seeking a new grantee, shall use essentially the same methods and procedures as are required to grant the initial franchise.
B. 
If a franchise is granted to another person, the terminated grantee may be required to sell the entire cable television system to the new grantee at its fair market value as determined by three competent, independent appraisers, one each to be appointed by the terminated grantee, the new grantee, and the Council. The appraisers so appointed shall use the then-best methods of appraising to determine this value. The cost of the appraisers shall be shared equally by the terminated grantee and the new grantee. The terminated grantee shall execute such deeds, bills of sale and other documents as may be necessary to effectuate this sale. The terminated grantee shall fully cooperate with these appraisers.
C. 
Upon expiration or termination of a franchise, or if a renewal of a franchise is denied, the Council shall have the option, upon 90 days' written notice to the grantee, to purchase the cable television system at its fair market value as determined by three competent, independent appraisers, one each to be appointed by the grantee and the City and the third to be appointed by the other two appraisers. The appraisers so appointed shall use the then-best methods of appraising to determine this value. The grantee and the City shall share the expense for the appraisal equally. The grantee shall execute such deeds, bills of sale and other documents as may be necessary to effectuate this sale. The grantee shall fully cooperate with these appraisers.
A. 
Upon the expiration or termination of a franchise, the grantee shall, not later than six months from such expiration, begin the removal of all property owned by it and placed on a public or private right-of-way, unless the grantee's cable television system property has been purchased by a successor under § 142-14, or the City (in the case of a public right-of-way) or the owner of a private right-of-way authorizes the grantee to abandon this property in place.
B. 
In removing its physical plant, structures, and equipment, the grantee shall refill, at its own expense, any excavation that shall be made by it and shall leave such public and private places in as good condition as that prevailing prior to the company's removal of its equipment and appliances without affecting, altering, or disturbing in any way the electric distribution or telephone cable, wire, or attachments or any poles. The City Manager shall appoint a City officer or employee to inspect and approve the condition of such public ways and public places and cables, wire attachments, and poles after removal. Liability insurance and indemnity provided for herein shall continue in full force and effect during the entire period of removal.
C. 
Upon abandonment, which shall only be done as the City directs, the grantee shall transfer ownership of all such abandoned property to the City and submit to the City an instrument in writing, subject to the approval of the City Attorney, effecting such transfer.
D. 
If the City or the state is forced to remove the system, the work shall be done at the expense of the terminated grantee.
The City may grant a franchise to a limited area grantee to authorize such grantee to provide cable television service to commercial and residential buildings.