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RESOLUTION NO. 2007-07 <br />INTRODUCED BY: Mayor Rinker and Council as a Whole <br />A RESOLUTION OPPOSING OHIO SENATE BILL 117 AND <br />SUPPORTING THE LOCAL CABLE FRANCHISING PROCESS; <br />AND DECLA1tING AN EMERGENCY <br />WHEREAS, Senate Bill ("SB") 117 was introduced in the Ohio Senate on March <br />15, 2007 and whereas on March 27, 2007, the Senate held the Sponsor's introduction <br />hearing and is expected to commence further hearings in Apri12007; and <br />WHEREAS, in its present form, SB 117 would eliminate local franchise authority <br />over cable and other video service providers that must use the Village's rights-of-way to <br />provide service and would replace that authority with only the most minimal oversight and <br />enforcement powers by the Ohio Director of Commerce; and <br />WHEREAS, SB 117 would permit cable operators to unilaterally abrogate and <br />abandon existing cable/video contracts with municipalities even if no new competitive <br />video service is offered in those communities and would outlaw the extension of any <br />current franchise agreement; and <br />WHEREAS, SB 117 would significantly reduce the franchise fees paid to the <br />Village by cable operators and/or other video service providers in exchange for using the <br />Village's rights-of-way, and would severely impair the Village's ability to audit cable and <br />competitive video service providers' franchise fee payments; and <br />WHEREAS, SB 117 would substantially reduce, if not completely eliminate, the <br />Village's ability to have dedicated Public, Educational and Governmental (PEG) access <br />channels and would eliminate entirely all specific PEG funding as well as other services, <br />such as free cable service to Village buildings and public schools; and <br />WHEREAS, SB 117 would prohibit the Village from requiring a cable/video <br />service provider to build-out its system so as to provide universal service to all Village <br />residents, as has been traditionally required of cable television operators so as to ensure <br />that all residents receive similar access to services; and <br />WHEREAS, SB 117 would prohibit the Village from requiring that any cable/video <br />service provider supply an Institutional Network for the provision of voice, video and data <br />communications between and among Village buildings, public and private school <br />buildings, and library buildings in the Village; and