(a) Purpose

The Telecommunications Council shall be responsible to the Board of Public Works in reviewing and evaluating the performance of city franchise agreements.

(b) Appointments

The council shall consist of five voting members, two of whom shall be appointed by the Mayor and three by the Common Council. In addition, each cable television franchisee may provide a reference person in advisory capacity only as requested by the telecommunications commission.
(c) Powers and responsibilities

The powers and responsibilities operating in satisfaction of the terms of the cable television franchise and the applicable state and federal rules and regulations are:

(1) To evaluate the quality of subscriber service by cable television companies.

(2) To evaluate whether the company is operating in satisfaction of the terms of the cable television franchise and the applicable state and federal rules and regulations.
(3) To study the communication needs of the Richmond community franchise and the applicable state and federal rules and regulations; and explore ways of using cable television to meet those needs.

(4) To assist members of the public and non-profit organizations in the use of cable television, including, to the extent of the council’s ability, programming advice, production advice and assistance, and cable-casting arrangements.

(5) To seek out and retain the services of other persons, organizations and companies for purposes of satisfying the responsibilities laid upon the council by this ordinance.

(6) To report at least once a year to the Mayor, the Common Council, and the Board of Public Works, in writing on the Council’s activities and expenditures, such report to include the evaluations provided for in (2) and (3), and such report further being made available to the public upon request.

(7) To pursue the preceding responsibilities in the best public interest of the citizen of Richmond.

(d) Procedure

The Board of Public Works shall furnish the Telecommunications Council with rules and regulations for the administration of the telecommunications council.

It is the object of this ordinance that the Telecommunications Council will be supported from the receipt of cable television franchise fees, subject to the approval of the Mayor and Common Council. (Ord. 8-1985)

(e) Terms

The terms of each Commission member shall be for a period of four years; provided, in order to create staggered terms, the initial members shall serve the following terms:

Mayor Appointments: One Two-year term; one Four-year term
Council Appointments: One Two-year term; one Three-year term; one Four-year term.

Successors to all members of the commission shall be appointed for terms of four (4) years except when appointed to fill a vacancy, in which case the appointment shall be for the unexpired term. All terms shall run by calendar year from January 1 (or date of appointment) through December 31. (Ord. 20-1996)