Section 1. Time Limit. No franchise shall be granted by the City for a longer period than thirty years. No license shall be granted by the Council for a longer term than one year.
Section 2. Submitted to Electors. No franchise or grant which is not revocable at the will of the Council shall be granted or become operative until the same shall have been referred to the people at a general or special election, and shall have received the approval of a majority of the electors voting thereon at such election, and if such grant or franchise be of or for a public utility it shall receive three-fifths of the votes thereon at said election.
Section 3. No persons, firms or corporation shall ever be granted any exclusive franchise, license, right or privilege whatever (and not any franchise shall be renewed before three years prior to its expiration.)
Section 4. Franchise Must be Accepted. No franchise shall be submitted to a vote of the electors until it shall have been accepted in writing by the grantee or grantees.
Section 5. Franchise Nonassignable Except. No franchise granted by the City shall ever be leased, assigned, or otherwise alienated except by mere “operation of law” or in accordance with the express provisions of said franchise, and all franchises granted by the City shall provide how, and in what manner, and under what conditions, said franchise may be leased, assigned or alienated; and no dealings with the lease or assignee on the part of the City, which shall recognize the performance of any act or payment of any compensation by the leasee or assignee shall be deemed to have operated as such consent.
Section 6. Franchise Changes. How Made. No change or modification of any franchise or grant of rights or power previously granted to any corporation, firm, person or association of persons shall be made except in the manner and subject to all the conditions herein provided for, for the making of original grants and franchises.
Section 7. Right to Regulate and License. The City shall have the right to regulate and license and impose a license fee on street cars, motor buses, telephone, gas meters, electric meters, water meters and any other device used for measuring service, also telephone, telegraph, electric light and power poles and wires. All said license fee shall be exclusive of and in addition to other lawful taxes upon the property of the holder thereof.
Section 8. Compensation Necessary for Franchise. No franchise, lease or rights to use the streets or the public places or property of the City shall be granted by the City without fair compensation to the City therefor. Where the franchise, lease or grant fixes the rate of fare, or the price for service rendered or commodity furnished by the grantee, such rate or fare or price of service or commodity furnished shall be subject to review and change at the end of every ten year period during the life of said franchise in such manner and form as in said franchise shall be provided.
Section 9. Cannot Waive Tax Liability. No such compensation by any such grant shall ever be in lieu of any lawful taxation upon its property or of any license or charges which are not levied on account of such use.
Section 10. Inspection of Public Utility Service. The Council shall by ordinance provide for efficient inspection and regulation of all public utilities operated in the City, and to that end shall provide means for ascertaining and testing the quality and pressure of the gas (if any) furnished to consumers, the candle power, voltage and insulation of electric wires, heat and power furnished the City, and its inhabitants and the inspection and installation of meters, for registering the consumption of any commodity sold by any grantee operating under any franchise, grant or license from the City of Grand Blanc or the State of Michigan, it being the intention of this section to provide means for securing to the City sufficient service from all public utilities operated in the City, and the proper observance by such operators of the conditions imposed by their respective franchises and by the laws of the State and by the ordinances of the City.