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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: November 2, 2005 <br />Action AgeS~ <br />Item No. <br />SUBJECT: First Reading -Ordinance Granting Franchise to Time Warner <br />Entertainment/Advance-Newhouse Partnership, to Own, Operate, and Maintain <br />Cable System in Unincorporated Orange County <br />DEPARTMENT: County Manager <br />PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />A. Chapel Hill Franchise Agreement <br />Excerpt <br />B. Proposed (Negotiated) Cable <br />Television Franchise Ordinance/ <br />Agreement <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Michael Patrick, Chair, Cable Advisory <br />Committee <br />Gwen Harvey, Assistant County <br />Manager, 245-2307 <br />PURPOSE: To consider approval of the first reading of a cable franchise renewal ordinance <br />(agreement) with Time Warner Entertainment/Advance-Newhouse Partnership (TWC), as <br />recommended by the Orange County Cable Advisory Committee. <br />BACKGROUND: In the fall of 2003, the Cable Advisory Committee, Triangle J Cable <br />Consultant, and County staff brought forward a proposed cable television franchise <br />ordinance/agreement that was adopted by the BOCC after a second reading. TWC officials <br />challenged the ordinance/agreement and declined to sign, calling upon the BOCC to re- <br />establish informal negotiations and allow further opportunity to reconcile remaining differences, <br />The BOCC granted this request and authorized staff to retain the services of Andy Sachs of the <br />Dispute Settlement Center to facilitate new negotiation sessions. TWC and the County shared <br />equally in the cost of facilitation services, <br />A series of facilitated sessions were conducted between June 2004 and August 2005. The <br />negotiating team was comprised of: (TWC) Brad Phillips, Vice President/Governmentand <br />Public Affairs; Andi Curtis, Assistant to the VP/GPA; Trish McCausland, Assistant Chief <br />Counsel, Regulatory; and (County) Cable Advisory Committee Chair Michael Patrick and <br />Assistant County Manager Gwen Harvey. Additional County staff -Legal, Finance, Purchasing, <br />Clerk's Office -provided technical support and guidance as needed throughout the process, <br />along with the entire Cable Advisory Committee and Bob Sepe, Action Audits, LLC. <br />Commissioner Steve Halkiotis is the current BOCC liaison to the Cable Advisory Committee, <br />