(A) Created. There is hereby created the Cable Commission, which shall be advisory to the City Council and to city staff as requested by the Council.
(B) Intent and purpose. It shall be the intent and purpose of the Cable Commission to study and evaluate the operation of cable communications systems within Oak Forest, including the quality and effectiveness of service to cable customers, pursuant to the cable television franchise regulations and the grant of any franchise.
(C) Commission membership.
(1) Appointment. the Cable Commission shall consist of seven members appointed by the Mayor, by and with the advice and consent of the City Council. The City Administrator, or his or her designee, and an alderperson-liaison appointed by the Mayor shall be ex officio non-voting members of the Commission. The Cable Commission shall serve with compensation as may be determined by the City Council.
(2) Vacancies. Vacancies on the Commission shall be filled in the same manner in which original appointments are required to be made.
(3) Chairperson. The Mayor shall designate one of the members of the Commission to be Chairperson. The Chairperson shall be appointed annually in May of each year.
(4) Conflict of interest. Any member who has participated or reasonably anticipates participating in the production of any program presented for broadcast on the access channel(s) shall recuse himself or herself from any Commission deliberations regarding the program, if any.
(5) City employees. No person employed by the city to perform services relating to the government access channel or public access channel may serve on the Cable Commission.
(D) Meetings.
(1) Regular meetings. Regular meetings shall be monthly on a day certain as determined by the Chairperson of the Commission. All regular and special meetings of the Commission shall be noticed and conducted in a manner consistent with the Open Meetings Act.
(2) Special meetings. Special meetings of the Commission may be called by the Chairperson, or any three members, from time to time. Requests for special meetings by three or more members must be received by the Chairperson no less than five days prior to the requested date of meeting.
(3) Quorum. A majority of the Commission members shall be necessary to constitute a quorum to transact any Commission business at any regular or special meeting of the Commission, including the conduct of public hearings. Less than a quorum may adjourn a meeting from time to time until a quorum can be achieved.
(4) Manner of acting. The act of a majority of the members present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Commission.
(5) Rules of procedure. The Commission shall enact rules of procedure not inconsistent with ordinances or statutes that further enhance the purpose of the Commission. In the absence of any contrary rules, Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the deliberations of the Commission.
(E) Duties. The Commission shall perform the following duties:
(1) Counsel and advise the Mayor and City Council on all matters pertaining to cable communications within the city;
(2) Review and evaluate and, upon direction of the City Council, conduct public hearings on any proposed changes in the rates, fees or service charges, as required or permitted by the cable television franchise regulations;
(3) Review the internal or external systems and the hardware and software used, and recommend any upgrading deemed necessary or advisable by the Commission;
(4) Recommend to the Mayor and City Council any proposed changes in the cable television franchise regulations deemed necessary or advisable by the Commission;
(5) Review the quality of access programming and provide for rules for the use and operation of the access station(s) made available by the franchisees;
(6) Review and evaluate and, upon direction of the City Council, conduct public hearings on any alleged violations of the cable regulations, an ordinance granting a franchise, a franchise agreement or state or federal laws and regulations, including but not limited to customer service standards, and recommend any penalty, fine, sanction or liquidated damages.
(7) Perform such other duties and functions related to cable communications as may be requested of it by the Mayor and City Council.
(F) Reports and records.
(1) The Commission shall keep records and minutes of its meetings, showing the vote of each member upon each topic submitted to it.
(2) The Commission shall prepare and submit minutes of each meeting to the Mayor and City Council in a timely manner.
(3) The Commission shall submit its recommendations to the City Administrator in writing, together with any findings of fact necessary to support the recommendations.
(Ord. 2007-06-0108O, passed 6-12-2007)