City Council Minutes 2014 11 18 - Laserfiche WebLink

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City Council Meeting Minutes November 18, 2014 Page 2 of 16 Michael Menaker, 1827 W. Choke Cherry Drive, Louisville, CO addressed restaurant signs in the downtown area. He explained The Rex has a new owner who wants to change the name on the marquee to reflect the new business name. He urged Council to reconsider the Historic Preservation Commission recommendation to deny the request. He explained at the time of the conservation easement for the sign the discussion centered on the historic tin siding. He stated the siding is not challenged by the name change. He addressed The Empire's historic sign and noted the name on the sign has changed three times and neither the historic sign nor building was threatened by the name change. He addressed the disparity in Business Assistance Packages (BAP) for restaurants and suggested using Historic Preservation Funds to ensure the viability and the maintenance of iconic signs. Alan Sobel, 1408 Kennedy, Louisville, CO provided his perception of the Comcast Cable Franchise renewal update. The Franchise expired in April of 2013. The Mayor assured the residents public meetings would be held, but none have been held to date. Mayor Pro Tem Dalton promised he would bring the idea of a Tech Committee to the City Council, but there hasn't been any Council discussion on a Tech Committee. The City had one meeting with Comcast in July of 2014. City officials stated it takes the cable company several months to respond to a city inquiry, which they consider "bargaining in good faith ". Several events occurred in the two or three years prior to the cable agreement expiration: 1) Louisville (along with other cities) engaged in rewriting the Cable Customer Service Standards, but failed to inform the cable customers of this process or the opportunity to participate. 2) Louisville voted to privatize a public governmental cable watchdog agency on one sentence from the Colorado Revised Statutes not applicable to privatizing a public agency. Letters sent to the City Attorney and City Council members regarding this matter were unanswered. 3) Louisville gave away $16,000 in cash and thousands of dollars in video equipment to a "public access television" group in Lafayette, which has disappeared. The City does not know what happened to the money, video equipment or the public access station. The Mayor did not mention any cable or internet infrastructure plans for Louisville in his state of the city presentation last month. All of these City actions or non - actions benefit the cable company. He felt the cable company has a reliable ally in the Louisville City government. He asked when the Louisville City officials would begin to represent the interests of Louisville residents in cable and internet matters. OATH OF OFFICE, CITY COUNCIL MEMBER CHRIS LEH Municipal Judge W. Bruce Joss swore in Chris Leh, Ward I City Council member. 15 - MINUTE RECESS - RECEPTION Mayor Muckle congratulated Council member Chris Leh and called for a 15- minute recess for a reception in his honor. The meeting recessed at 7:16 p.m. and reconvened at 7:38 p.m.