E2. Ordinance 1772 - Northwestern Energy Franchise AgmtCharles A. Harball Office of City Attorney
City Attorney 201 First Avenue East
P.O. Box 1997
Kalispell, NIT 59903-1997
Tel 406.758,7709
Fax 406.758.7771
charball@kalispell.com
TO® Doug Russell, City Manager
FROM: Charles Harball, City Attorney
SUBJECT: Ordinance No. 1772 — Second Reading —.Non-exclusive
Franchise Ordinance for Northwestern Energy
MEETING DATE: June 20, 2016 — Regular Council Meeting
BACKGROUND: Northwestern Energy currently owns, maintains and operates
natural gas transmission lines in the City of Kalispell and provides this commodity to
many residents and businesses of the City. MCA 69-4-101 provides all utilities, except
natural gas utilities, the right to use the public right-of-way for utility lines and facilities.
Due to this legislative omission, Northwestern Energy seeks to obtain a nonexclusive
franchise right from the City of Kalispell to operate its utilities within the municipal
right-of-ways to the same extent as all other utilities within the City. Ordinance No.
1772 provides this right and requires Northwestern Energy to follow the same municipal
regulations of every other utility provider in the City. The previous ordinance that
provided this right to Northwestern and its predecessors has long since expired. Council
passed Ordinance 1772 on June 6, 2016 on first reading.
RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the Council consider and pass
Ordinance No. 1772 on second reading.
ALTERNATIVES: The Council may offer amendments or reject the proposed
ordinance.
ORDINANCE NO. 1772
AN ORDINANCE GRANTING TO NORTHWESTERN CORPORATION d/b/a/
NORTHWESTERN ENERGY A NON-EXCLUSIVE FRANCHISE AND FIXING THE TERMS
THEREOF UNDER WHICH SAID COMPANY MAY DELIVER AND SELL NATURAL GAS
AND CONSTRUCT, EQUIP, LAY, MAINTAIN AND OPERATE NATURAL GAS DELIVERY
FACILITIES IN, UNDER, UPON, OVER AND ACROSS STREETS, AVENUES, ALLEYS,
HIGHWAYS, BRIDGES, MUNICIPAL EASEMENTS AND OTHER MUNICIPAL PLACES IN
THE CITY OF KALISPELL, MONTANA.
WHEREAS, Northwestern Corporation, doing business as Northwestern Energy and with corporate
offices at 3010 West 69th Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57108, currently owns, maintains and
operates natural gas transmission lines in the City of Kalispell and provides this
commodity to many residents and businesses of the City; and
WHEREAS, MCA 69-4-101 provides all utilities, except natural gas utilities, the right to use the
public right-of-way for utility lines and facilities; and
WHEREAS, due to this legislative omission, Northwestern Energy seeks to obtain a nonexclusive
franchise right from the City of Kalispell to operate its utilities within the municipal
right-of-ways to the same extent as all other utilities within the City; and
WHEREAS, the City Department of Public Works requires all utilities to obtain a right-of-way permit
from the City prior to any construction or maintenance of transmission or delivery
services within the City right-of-ways.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
KALISPELL, MONTANA, AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. There is hereby granted to Northwestern Corporation d/b/a Northwestern Energy,
its successors, and assigns ("Franchisee"), the right, privilege, and franchise
(collectively the 'Franchise") under the terms contained herein to construct,
equip, lay, maintain and operate in, under, upon, over and across the streets,
avenues, alleys, highways, bridges, easements and other public places in the City
of Kalispell, Montana ("City"), as now or hereafter constituted, natural gas
delivery facilities for the purposes of transporting, conveying, distributing,
supplying and selling natural gas services for heat, power and other purposes.
Such natural gas services shall be provided at rates fixed and allowed by the
Montana Public Service Commission, and Franchisee agrees to make publicly
available the schedules of rates thus fixed or allowed as required by the laws of
Montana.
SECTION 2. Franchisee agrees to construct and maintain all natural gas delivery facilities
according to current industry standards and in compliance with all applicable
codes, rules, regulations, statutes, and orders of local, state, and federal agencies
having jurisdiction in such matters and further agrees to apply for and obtain a
right-of-way permit and storm water construction permit from the City of
Kalispell prior to any work in the City's right-of-way.
SECTION 3. Franchisee shall extend its natural gas delivery facilities to such parts of the City
as the provision of Franchisee's natural gas services shall justify.
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SECTION 4. Franchisee, at all times during the existence of this Franchise, shall use its best
efforts to obtain, deliver and supply a continuous, sufficient and adequate
quantity of natural gas for use by said City and Franchisee's customers, provided,
however, that Franchisee shall not be liable to said City or to Franchisee's
customers because of the interruption or discontinuance of the supply of natural
gas by causes beyond the reasonable control of Franchisee.
SECTION 5. Franchisee shall not discontinue the delivery of natural gas through its natural gas
delivery facilities, or any portion thereof, for an unreasonable length of time for
the purpose of making repairs and extensions, but Franchisee shall not be liable
to the City or any of Franchisee's customers for damages caused by such
temporary discontinuance or interruption of the delivery of natural gas, provided
that such repairs and extensions are made with reasonable efforts.
SECTION 6. All work done in, under, upon, over, and across the present and future streets,
avenues, alleys, highways, bridges, easements, and other public places in the City
by Franchisee for the purposes of carrying out the provisions of this Franchise
shall be done and performed in a professional manner. When any street, alley, or
other public place in said City is excavated or damaged by Franchisee by reason
of such work, Franchisee shall restore such street, alley, or public place to its
former condition as early as practicable. If at any time a change in the grade or
plan of any street, alley, or public place or public utility shall be made by order of
the proper City officials, Franchisee shall, without expense to the City, make
such changes in the location of its natural gas delivery facilities as the change of
the grade or plan of the street, alley, or public place or other public utilities
therein makes necessary, which said changes shall be made as soon as possible
after said Franchisee shall have received notice from the proper City official
having the charge of the same.
SECTION 7. Franchisee shall hold the City harmless from all costs and damages which shall
or may accrue to said City by reason of the neglect, default, or misconduct of the
Franchisee in connection with the exercise of its rights hereunder.
SECTION 8. Franchisee is hereby given the right and authority to make assignments of this
Franchise, and its rights hereunder, provided all assignees agree to be bound to
the same extent as the original Franchisee.
SECTION 9. Except as provided in this paragraph, failure on the part of Franchisee to comply
in any substantial respect with any provision of this Franchise shall be grounds
for forfeiture thereof. No forfeiture shall take effect unless either (1) Franchisee
agrees to the forfeiture, or (2) a court of competent jurisdiction (with a right of
appeal in either party) has ruled that Franchisee failed to comply in a substantial
respect with any provision of this Franchise and Franchisee has not cured the
failure found by the court within six (6) months after the court's final order. The
City Council, in its discretion, may grant additional time to Franchisee to cure the
failure as it deems reasonable.
SECTION 10. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after thirty (30) days
after the final passage and approval hereof, provided Franchisee shall file with
the City Clerk a written acceptance of this ordinance within said thirty (30) day
period, but if such acceptance is not so filed, this ordinance shall be void.
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SECTION 11. This Franchise shall be hereby granted for an initial term of ten (10) years from
and after the date of the final acceptance of this Ordinance by the Franchisee.
Thereafter, this Franchise will automatically renew every ten (10) years for an
additional term of ten (10) years, unless cancelled by either parry by written
notice to the other parry, no less than five (5) years prior to the end of the then
current term.
PASSED AND APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND SIGNED BY THE MAYOR OF THE
CITY OF KALISPELL THIS 20TH DAY OF JUNE, 2016.
Mark Johnson
Mayor
ATTEST:
Aimee Brunckhorst, CMC
City Clerk
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