12/18/2007 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Council Minutes of 12/18/2007 is also behind in scheduling to offer its new TV service to the residents of North Olmsted. Instead of streamlining processes and giving AT&T the indication that its planned investment in North Olmsted is in fact welcomed, tonight's City Council is considering a right-of--way ordinance that may further delay and in certain circumstances prevent AT&T from completing critical network upgrades. An ordinance very similar to the one the city is considering tonight has led to litigation between the City of Cleveland Heights and other utility companies. AT&T, however, is not here tonight to threaten a challenge to the extent that City Council believes that sound public policy calls for its passage. However, AT&T believes that the public policy implementation demonstrates this ordinance is not necessary to protect the city's interests and it imposes counter productive costs and duties on both city personnel and the utilities subject to these ordinances. To date, AT&T and the city have successfully worked together to jointly serve North Olmsted citizens for over 100 years. Why is it this extensive regulation is now needed? AT&T asks that the city consider the timing and the necessity of this ordinance. The company has designated $500 million for the State of Ohio to improve network upgrades. A portion of that would be coming to North Olmsted. 2) John Poffenberger, 24733 Mitchell Drive, a city resident who is the U-verse manager for western Cuyahoga County. He gets calls and e-mails daily from residents who want the U-verse service. When work starts in North Olmsted, he will hire l3 new employees. These are good paying union jobs. Also, there will be 30 technicians dispatched to work in North Olmsted. He noted that these workers would be spending money in the city at various businesses. Mr. Poffenberger explained that the AT&T package, which is better than cable, will be a savings of approximately $30-$40 a month for North Olmsted residents. It's a shame North Olmsted does not have U-verse as do surrounding communities where it is working well. Councilman Ryan said he had worked for Ohio Bell about 35 years ago and complimented the company on its professionalism and social responsibility to communities. We have had a fine relationship with AT&T for 100 years. Mr. Poffenberger reiterated that the jobs created are good paying union jobs providing a good career and pensions. Surrounding communities are very happy with the service. Law Director Dubelko commented that this is not anti-U-verse legislation. This is a comprehensive right-of--way legislation. We have had a moratorium in the city against the above-ground installations while this legislation was being discussed and reviewed and negotiated and finally voted upon tonight. The process from the time the moratorium was established to now is just about three months, which is about half the amount of time we were talking about negotiating with AT&T for U-verse in our city while SB 117 was winding its way through the General Assembly and finally being passed. We were in negotiations before SB 117, and negotiations were stopped because of SB 117. SB 117 was then passed and went into effect in September, and the city did something we really should have done probably five or six years ago, we used SB 117 as the galvanizing act to do legislation to comprehensively regulate our right-of--ways. These are reasonable regulations. Three months is a short period of time for a moratorium for something like this. We have listened to the input from the utility companies, from the 11