(a) Regulatory Responsibility. The City shall have the following regulatory responsibility:
(1) Administration and enforcement of the provisions of this chapter and any franchise granted hereunder.
(2) Award, renewal, extension or termination of a franchise pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, the franchise and other applicable law.
(3) Consent prior to sale or transfer of any franchise granted hereunder.
(4) Performance evaluation.
(5) Rate regulation, if applicable.
(b) Additional Functions. The City reserves the right to perform the following functions:
(1) Develop objectives and coordinate activities relating to the operation of government channels.
(2) Approve procedures and standards for public, government and educational access and operations and services, including the use of dedicated channels and the sharing of public facilities.
(3) Coordinate plans for interconnection.
(4) Analyze the possibility of integrating cable communications with other City, State or regional telecommunications networks.
(5) Formulate and recommend a long-range telecommunications policy for the City and determine the future cable-related needs and interests of the community.
(6) Provide the administrative effort necessary for the conduct of performance evaluations and any other activities required for the administration of the franchise.
(7) Monitor a grantee's process for handling citizen complaints and periodically inspect and analyze the records relating to such complaints.
(8) Monitor a grantee's adherence to operational standards, service requirements and line extension policies.
(9) Assure compliance with applicable laws and ordinances.
(10) Arrange tests and analyses of equipment and performance, as needed to insure compliance with this chapter and the franchise.
(11) Assure continuity in service.
(12) Receive for examination all data and reports required by this chapter.
(c) Performance Evaluation. The City may hold an informal meeting or a public hearing on cable television performance every three years to assess past performance of a grantee and to assess future cable television needs for the City. At the informal meeting or public hearing, a grantee shall appear to give a review of its operations, maintenance and performance during the preceding period. Topics which may be discussed during evaluation may include, but not be limited to, free or discounted services, application of new technologies, system performance, services provided, programming offered, customer complaints, judicial and FCC rulings, grantee or City rules, and compliance with this chapter and the franchise. During the review and evaluation by the City, a grantee shall fully cooperate with the City and shall provide such information and documents as the City may need to reasonably perform its review.
(d) Cable Advisory Board. The City may establish a citizen's advisory committee entitled the Cable Advisory Board, consisting of as many members and for such terms of office as Council may designate by resolution. The members of said Board shall be appointed by Council. The responsibilities of the Board may include, but not be limited to, the following:
(1) Monitor and advise the City Council and City administration on the provisions of the City's cable communications ordinance and related ordinances;
(2) Serve as an advisory body for the public, educational and Municipal access channels of cable television that may be developed.
(3) Advise the City Government of objectives to be obtained in the City's cable communications system based upon its continued evaluation of the City's cable television franchise, cable technology and the future cable-related needs and interests of the community.
(4) Prepare an annual report to the Council.
(5) Cooperate with the City and a grantee in fulfilling its responsibilities herein.
(Ord. 95-17. Passed 9-18-95.)