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HomeMy Public PortalAbout19810309 special 67 SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING, March 9, 1981 Meeting called to order by Mayor Pro tem Hequembourg. Councilmen present : Borgmeyer, Brant , Gordon, Halsey , Hequembourg, Kiiegel , Prenger and Whitecotton. Councilmen absent : Crader and Wade. A quorum was declared present. The purpose of the Special Meeting is to receive and open proposals for the Cable Television Franchise. Three bids were received from the following Companies : Teltran , Inc. , d/b/a Central Communications, Inc. Jefferson City Cablevision 213 East Capitol Avenue 18040 Edison Avenue Jefferson City , MO. 65101 Chesterfield, MO 6301? TCI Cablevision , Inc. 1419 Missouri Blvd. Jefferson City, MO 65101 Mayor Pro tem stated the boxes would be opened and the materials will be briefly examined. We will then review the proposals and at some future meeting we will have discussion on the proposals and eventually make final recommendation as to which direction ' the City will proceed. He then introduced Mr. Elmer Smalling, the City' s representative for the review process who will help the Council make the final decision. Mr. Smalling has asked that we adjourn into Executive Session - if there is a motion and enough support we will convene in Executive Session to discuss legal matters, then we will re- convene in General Session for any final comment before closing the meeting. Checks in the amount of $2,500.00 have been received from each bidder and so far as we can determine all is in order at this time. Motion made by Councilman Gordon that the Council adjourn into Executive Session. Motion seconded by Councilman Whitecotton and passed. Mr. Furrow and Mr. Andrae, Attorneys for TCI Cublovi.s on , Inc. , objected o the Executive Sees: ion. Mayor Pro tom Hequembourg stated the City Attorney felt there were legal c1ueriti.ons involved which should be discussed in Executive Session. After a short Executive Session Mayor Pro tem Hequembourg recon- vened the Council in regular session and explained that he, as Presiding Officer, and the Council members did not feel that the matters to be discussed wore items that should be covered in Executive Session. He then stated they would entertain questions from the Council but at this time would reserve questions from the audience - they would be appropriate at the time the Council meets to go over the proposals , after we receive report from the Consultant . Councilman Prenger suggested we set up some kind of schedule - what kind of meetings do we have to have and when does the present franchise expire. The City Attorney replied - the present franchise expires April 21, 1981. The format we would propose is that the Council read these documents - the Consultants will read thru them and make their report , which report will be made availab�e to the three bidders and they will have time to study that. Then we anticipate a Public Hearing , at which time the bidders can come and make any comments they might have about their proposals or about the recommendations of the Consultants. After that , we will hope to make some kind of a decision within a six weeks ' period. Councilman Borgmeyer inquired who hired the Consultant and III what are we paying him? Mayor Pro tem Hequembourg stated he recalled that some time ago the Council had approved the City Attorney hiring Mr. Smalling but he did not know the compensation. The City Attorney has been involved in cable television for some time and took it upon himself to put the information together and located Mr. Smalling, who had A SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING, March 9 , 1981 • expertise, to provide some type of non-biased review of proposals. ' There was discussion with the Municipal League and problems some o - - the communities have had in going through this process. I think the Council made the selection so they would have a professional , not involved in any way with any of the firms submitting proposals . to help us make the review. There was no one in City Government who had anything to do with TV service or understood it , and it was more of a legal issue and that is why Mr. Graham got involved; we had to have someone in City Government to do this work and he did it for us. The City Attorney stated he had no interest in any of the three Companies who submitted proposals , and neither did any membe of his family , and the same was true for Mr. Smalling. The fee for Mr. Smalling is basically expenses. Councilman Borgmeyer inquired about the Company operating at the present time - what happens if they do not get the new Franchise? I Mayor Pro tem Hequembourg replied that that was a matter between the three Companies involved and the Council was not in- volved. We have a Franchise and if the new Company takes care of the contract by acquiring the present Company, that is up to them. Mayor Pro tem Hequembourg then stated the Proposals will be in the Clerk' s Office for anyone to look at . The discussion of the Consultant ' s recommendations will be made at an open meeting so that all that are interested can hear the discussions and the Council will have to make final decision by Ordinance, which will I require two additional meetings, so there will be plenty of time and open discussion from the public and the Council about where ! we are going with cable service. At Councilman l3rant ' s inquiry, Mr. Graham stated that any I contact with the Mayor or Council bo done in the Council Chambers, in open forum, so all will have an opportunity to be advised. This is the same as it was prior to opening of the bids. Mayor Pro tern Hequembourg wont on to etnto that any of the three Companies who wants to respond can do so by writing to the City Clerk , who will supply the Council with such information . Such information would be available to all bidders and to the general. public. City Attorney Graham stated that all bidders and all the Companies who have had proposals have abided by the City ' s wishes and the guidelines, and 1. would like to thank them for their cooperation , and we hope it continues because it will make for a very orderly and fair procedure. Mayor Pro tern Hequembourg stated he felt that all proposals submitted would be considered on equal merit . There have been some statements made by the media which clouded the air to a 1 certain extent , but at this point that in behind. The Council now will have to look at the documents they have been given tonight. Hopefully , we can do that in a clear air in the next three or four weeks, until such time as the Consultant makes his recommendation, and then we can make a final decision. There have been some discussions which would not do anyone any good and I do not think it would do anyone any good to continue that type of thing during the rest of this review process. Mr. Farrow stated that as he understood there would be no discussion, no meeting of any kind , nor any reference to Cable TV at any of the Council meetings until the Consultant made his report. Mayor Pro tem agreed. Mr. Gene Bushman , representing Central Communications, Inc. , stated he had requested the Mayor to allow him to address the Council next Monday night , the 16th, giving a response to the questions raised about the legality of the Bond Issue. My comment will be limited only to that legal issue - and the Mayor indicated,' I would be able to speak next Monday night . Mr. Graham stated the representatives of other bidders would! be welcome to come to the the meeting , and in the future if there I ' will be any discussion of proposals involving cable television, all bidders will be notified. 1 Councilman Borgmeyer made the motion to adjourn. Motion seconded '1 by Councilman Gordon and passed.