As used in this chapter, except where a different meaning is clearly indicated:
(a) Applicant or Person. “Applicant” or “person” means any individual, partnership, trust, estate, business trust, association, corporation or other entity, or his, her or its affiliate, or any employee or agent thereof, being a bidder or prospective bidder for a cable television franchise or having a financial relationship therein, through employment, stock interest or otherwise.
(b) Application Expenses. “Application expenses” means expenses paid or incurred by any applicant or any parent, subsidiary or affiliated company, joint venture, partner, agent or employee of such applicant, who applies for a cable television franchise. Such expenses include:
(1) Expenses paid for engineering or other consultant services utilized in preparing the application filed with the County for a cable television franchise;
(2) Legal expenses paid or incurred for services utilized in preparing the application filed with the County for a cable television franchise;
(3) Readily identifiable salaries (or portions thereof, or compensation in any form, of employees of the applicant whose services have been used to influence legislation if such salary attributable to influencing legislation exceeds one thousand dollars ($1,000);
(4) Assignment or issuance, or the promise of assignment or issuance, to any person, of any ownership interest in the applicant, and the consideration, if any, paid or promised therefor, other than securities registered under the Securities Act of 1933, and purchased at fair market value on a recognized securities exchange. Any person who acquires an ownership interest without payment of good and valuable consideration therefor, or at less than fair market value, shall be specifically identified.
(5) Payments or promises of payment of money or any other thing of value, to any person, used in any way to further the application. The disclosure required by this paragraph shall not include those expenses disclosed pursuant to paragraphs (b)(1) through (b)(4) hereof.
(c) Compensation. “Compensation” means a salary, gift, payment, benefit, subscription, loan, advance, reimbursement or deposit of money or anything of value, or a contract, promise or agreement, whether or not legally enforceable, to compensate.
(d) County Employee or Employee. “County employee” or “employee” means those employees who, in the course of their employment, are involved, directly or indirectly, with the process of receiving or reviewing proposals, awarding a CATV franchise, overseeing, regulating or investigating a franchisee, or communicating with any applicant.
(e) Engage. “Engage” means any arrangement whereby a person is employed or retained for compensation to act in some part to influence cable television franchise legislation.
(f) Expenditure. “Expenditure” means payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit, reimbursement or gift of money, real estate or anything of value, or a contract, promise or agreement, whether or not legally enforceable, to make an expenditure, but only if made after the effective date of this chapter (Ordinance 81-14, passed December 7, 1981).
(g) Influence Legislation. “Influence legislation” means to promote, advocate or oppose the passage or defeat of cable television franchise legislation by direct communication with any member of the Board of Supervisors, the Cable TV Citizens Advisory Committee or any other official or employee of the County, or with any consultant hired by the County with regard to the cable television franchising process.
(h) Legislation. “Legislation” means ordinances, resolutions, amendments, nominations, agreements and other matters pending before the Board of Supervisors pertaining to the granting of 2 specific cable television franchise to a specific applicant.
(Ord. 81-14. Passed 12-7-81.)