HomeMy WebLinkAboutCohen Law GroupCohen
October 28, 2016
Hon. Patrick Downie
Mayor
City of Port Angeles
PO Box I150
Port Angeles, WA 98362
RE: Free Legal Assessment Regarding Cable, Wireless, and Broadband Issues
Dear Mayor Downie:
For nearly 20 years, our law firm has assisted local govemments in franchise fee audits,
cable franchise renewals, wireless regulation, right-of-way management, and broadband matters.
Since our founding, we have negotiated over 400 franchise agreements with nearly every cable
operator. These negotiations typically result in increased franchise fee revenue, greater franchise
fee accountability, improved customer services standards, new right-of-way protections, and more
PEG channel funding. With respect to franchise fee audits, we have conducted over 120 audits in
the past three years and have found underpaymerts 73Vo of the time.
In the wireless arena, wireless companies continue to contact Washingon and Oregon
municipalities to attempt to install mini-cell towers in the public rights-of-way. This year to date,
we have assisted 32 local govemments in amending or rewriting their old cell tower ordinances to
address this new technology (known as "distributed antenna systems" or "DAS"), comply with
recent changes in the law, and protect the unique character of their communities.
Finally, many municipalities still suffer from poor intemet service. This problem hampers
economic development and depresses property values. We have assisted local governments in
preparing broadband feasibility studies and in negotiating agreements to construct high-speed
broadband networks to improve municipal services and offer a more affordable intemet option to
municipal residents and businesses.
We recently opened a Seattle office to assist local govemments in Washington and Oregon
with these matters. To celebrate this opening, we are offering to perform a free legal assessment
of your cable franchise agreement, wireless ordinance, right'of'way ordinance, and/or
broadband plan if you contact us by December 15,2016. We will review the documents and
then call you to provide the legal assessment. We look forward to hearing from you regarding this
special offer and to discussing these important issues with you.
Sincerely yours,
Law Group
'Dpse
Daniel S. Cohen
413 South Main Street,3rd Floor . Pittsburgh, PA 15215 . 412-447-0130
1752 NW Market Street, No. 129 . Seattle, WA 981 07 . 2O6-472-5646
www.cohenlawgroup.org