Willard council authorizes staff to request renegotiation of Connex franchise agreement

Staff told the council that Connex's franchise term is coming due at the end of the year and that the city has collected little to no franchise fee under the initial arrangement. The presentation noted that Connex previously agreed to install fiber without an initial franchise fee in exchange for deployment commitments; now that the system is in place staff recommended asking Connex to renegotiate terms to ensure fair compensation and service protections.

Council voted to send the letter asking for renegotiation. Staff emphasized the need to move early to avoid being constrained by contractual notice windows; the letter in the packet was described as outlining the city's request to reopen terms and address revenue-share questions.