Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: September 2, 2003 <br />Action Agen a <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 Oran e County <br />DEPARTMENT: County Manager <br />PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />Proposed Cable Television Franchise <br />Ordinance/Agreement <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Michael Patrick, Chair, Cable Advisory <br />Committee <br />Robert Sepe, Consultant, Action Audits <br />Dave Permar, Hatch Little and Bunn, LLP <br />Gwen Harvey, Assistant County Manager, <br />245-2307 <br />TELEPHONE NUMBERS: <br />Hillsborough 732-8181 <br />Chapel Hill 968-4501 <br />Durham 688-7331 <br />Mebane 336-227-2031 <br />PURPOSE: To review and consider approval of the first reading of a cable franchise renewal <br />ordinance (agreement) with Time Warner Entertainment/Advance-Newhouse Partnership, as <br />recommended by the Orange County Cable Advisory Committee, in conjunction with the <br />Triangle J Cable Consortium consultant collaborative. <br />BACKGROUND: The proposed ordinance/agreement, as attached, represents the "best offer" <br />(an offer that keeps the Board's objectives paramount) derived by the Board authorized <br />franchise negotiation team (Michael Patrick, Cable Advisory Committee (CAC) Chair and Gwen <br />Harvey, Assistant County Manager; with technical assistance provided by and Bob Sepe, Action <br />Audits and Dave Permar, Hatch Little and Bunn, LLP), after a year of meetings with Brad <br />Phillips of Time Warner Entertainment Government Relations and Time Warner's consulting <br />attorney, Mark Prak. The CAC has reviewed the proposed cable television franchise <br />ordinance/agreement and recommends its adoption by the Board. <br />The Chair and Commissioner liaison to the CAC have also been briefed on the content of the <br />agreement. Time Warner has been advised that this matter is scheduled for BOCC <br />consideration and received copies of the agenda abstract and proposed agreement. Staff fully <br />expects Time Warner representatives to be in attendance on September 2"d <br />