§ 3. TERM.  


Latest version.
  • (a)

    The term of this franchise shall be until February 28, 2024.

    (b)

    If the rate of compensation is changed by City Ordinance, the City shall notify the Company with written notice and the new rate of compensation shall become effective and applied to this franchise upon notification. The rate of compensation, if changed by City Ordinance, is not a negotiable item; however, any increase in compensation/fee shall be in compliance with the public notification procedures set forth in K.S.A. 12-2001.

    (c)

    Upon written request of either the City or the Company, this franchise shall be reopened and renegotiated at any time upon any of the following events:

    (i)

    changes in federal, state, or local laws, regulations, or orders that materially affect any rights or obligations of either the City or Company, including but not limited to the scope of the franchise granted to the Company;

    (ii)

    changes in the structure or operation of the electrical power industry that materially affect any rights or obligations of either the City or the Company, including but not limited to: (A) the scope of the franchise granted to the Company, (B) the compensation to be received by the City hereunder, (C) the institution of Retail Wheeling or customer choice of electric supplier, or (D) the unbundling and separate pricing of the generation, transmission or distribution of Electric Utility Service; and

    (iii)

    any other material and unintended change or shift in the economic benefit that either the City or the Company reasonably relied upon and reasonably anticipated upon entering into this franchise.

    (c)

    In any negotiation properly commenced pursuant to Section 3(b), the City and the Company shall negotiate in good faith in an effort to agree upon mutually satisfactory amendment(s). Failure of the City and Company to successfully renegotiate the materially affected provisions of this franchise under Section 3(b) shall give either party the right to terminate this franchise by giving written notice of termination within sixty (60) days of the event giving rise to the negotiations under subsection (b), in which case the franchise shall terminate 60 days after such notice is given. If neither party gives notice of termination within such time period, the franchise shall remain in effect according to its then existing terms.

    (d)

    Amendments under this Section, if any, shall be made by ordinance as prescribed by statute. The franchise shall remain in effect according to its terms pending completion of any renegotiation provided by subsections (b) and (c).