ORDINANCE NO. 2331
AN ORDINANCE GRANTING TO WESTAR ENERGY, INC. AN ELECTRIC FRANCHISE INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO CONSTRUCT, OPERATE AND MAINTAIN ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION AND STREET LIGHTING FACILITIES WITHIN THE CORPORATE LIMITS OF THE CITY OF DE SOTO, KANSAS, AND FIXING THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS THEREOF.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF DE SOTO, KANSAS:
Section 1. Definitions.
For purposes of this Franchise, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings given herein. When not inconsistent with the context, words used in the present tense include the future tense, words in the plural number include the singular number and words in the singular number include the plural number. The word “shall” is mandatory and “may” is permissive. Words not defined in this Article shall be given their common and ordinary meaning.
City or Grantor – shall mean the City of De Soto, Johnson County, Kansas.
Company or Grantee – shall mean Westar Energy, Inc., a Kansas Corporation.
Distributed or Distribution – shall mean all sales, distribution, or transportation by the Company or by others through the Facilities of the Company in the Right-of-Way to any consumer for use within the City.
Facilities – shall mean all electric distribution lines, substations, works, and plants together with all necessary appurtenances thereto.
Franchise – shall mean this Ordinance granting the right, privilege and franchise by the Grantor to the Grantee to provide electric services within the City.
Governing Body – shall mean the governing body of the City.
Gross Receipts – shall mean any and all compensation and other consideration derived directly by the Company from any Distribution of electric energy to a consumer for any use within the City, including domestic, commercial and industrial purposes, through charges as provided in tariffs filed and approved, and including without limitation interruptible sales and single sales; except that such term shall not include revenues from any operation or use of any or all of the Facilities in the Right-of-Way by others nor shall such term include revenue from certain miscellaneous charges and accounts, including but not limited to delayed or late payment charges, connection and disconnection fees, reconnection fees, customer project contributions, returned check charges, and temporary service charges.
Public Improvement – shall mean any existing or contemplated public facility, building, or capital improvement project, financed by the City, including without limitation, streets, alleys, sidewalks, sewer, water, drainage, Right-of-Way improvement, and Public Projects.
Public Project – shall mean any project planned or undertaken and financed by the City or any governmental entity for construction, reconstruction, maintenance, or repair of public facilities or improvements, or any other purpose of a public nature paid for with public funds.
Public Project for Private Development – shall mean a Public Project, or that portion thereof, that primarily benefits a third (3rd) party.
Right-of-Way – shall mean present and future streets, alleys, rights-of-way, and public easements, including easements dedicated to the City in plats of the City for streets and alleys but not including any Utility Easement. It shall include the area on, below or above the present and future streets, alleys, avenues, roads, highways, parkways or boulevards dedicated or acquired as right-of-way by the City. This term does not include easements obtained by utilities or private easements in platted subdivisions or tracts, nor infrastructure located within the Right-of-Way owned by the City or other third-parties, such as poles, ducts or conduits.
Street Right-of-Way – shall mean the entire width between property lines of land, property, or an interest therein of every way publicly maintained where any part thereof is open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular traffic, including street, avenue, boulevard, highway, expressway, alley, or any other public way for vehicular travel by whatever name.
Utility Easement – shall mean an easement owned by or dedicated to the City for the purpose of providing the Company and other utilities access to customers and users of any utility service.
Section 2. Grant.
a. There is hereby granted to Company, the non-exclusive right, privilege, and franchise to construct, maintain, extend, and operate its Facilities in, through, and along the Right-of-Way of the City for the purpose of supplying electric energy to the City and the inhabitants thereof for the full term of this Franchise; subject, however, to the terms and conditions herein set forth. Nothing in this grant shall be construed to franchise or authorize the use of the Company’s Facilities or the Right-of-Way by the Company or others, for any purpose not related to the provision of electric energy. The Company may not allow a subsidiary, affiliate, or a third (3rd) party to acquire rights to occupy the Rights-of-Way under this Franchise; provided, that nothing in this section shall prevent Company from allowing the use of its Facilities by others when such use is compensated to the City under the provisions of a franchise granted by the City to any such third party.
b. The grant of this Franchise by the City shall not convey title, equitable or legal, in the Right-of-Way, and shall give only the right to occupy the Right-of-Way, for the purposes and for the period stated in this Franchise. This Franchise does not:
(1) Grant the right to use Facilities or any other property, telecommunications related or otherwise, owned or controlled by the City or a third-party, without the consent of such party;
(2) Grant the authority to construct, maintain or operate any Facility or related appurtenance on property owned by the City outside of the Right-of-Way, specifically including, but not limited to, parkland property, City Hall property or public works facility property; or
(3) Excuse Grantee from obtaining appropriate access or attachment agreements before locating its Facilities on the Facilities owned or controlled by the City or a third-party.
c. As a condition of this grant, Grantee is required to obtain and is responsible for any necessary permit, license, certification, grant, registration or any other authorization required by any appropriate governmental entity, including, but not limited to, the City, the FCC or the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC). Grantee shall also comply with all applicable laws, statutes and/or City regulations (including, but not limited to those relating to the construction and use of the Right-of-Way or other public or private property.
d. Grantee shall not provide any additional services for which a franchise is required by the City without first obtaining a separate franchise from the City or amending this Franchise, and Grantee shall not knowingly allow the use of its Facilities by any third party in violation of any federal, state or local law.
e. This authority to occupy the Right-of-Way shall be granted in a competitively neutral and nondiscriminatory basis and not in conflict with Kansas or federal law.
Section 3. Term.
a. The term of this Franchise shall be ten (10) years from the effective date of this Ordinance; provided, this franchise and all rights and privileges herein provided shall be extended for two (2) successive periods of five (5) years unless either party notifies the other party of its intent to terminate or renegotiate this Franchise at least one hundred eighty (180) days before the expiration of the then current term. The additional terms shall be deemed a continuation of this Franchise and not as a new franchise or amendment.
b. Upon written request of either the City or the Company, the franchise shall be reopened and renegotiated at any time upon any of the following events:
1. Change in federal, state, or local law, regulation, or order which materially affects any rights or obligations of either the City or the Company, including but not limited to the scope of the grant to the Company or the compensation to be received by the City; or
2. Change in the structure or operation of the electrical energy industry which materially affects any rights or obligations of either the City or the Company, including but not limited to the scope of the grant to the Company or the compensation to be received by the City; or
3. Any other material and unintended change or shift in the economic benefit to the City or a change the Company did not anticipate upon accepting the grant of this Franchise.
c. 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 review or renegotiation pursuant to subsection b. In the event the parties are actively negotiating in good faith a new Franchise ordinance or an amendment to this Franchise, the parties by written mutual agreement may extend the expiration or termination date of this Franchise to allow for further negotiations. Such extension period shall be deemed a continuation of this Franchise and not as a new Franchise ordinance or amendment.
Section 4. Compensation to the City.
a. In consideration of and as compensation for the franchise hereby granted to the Company by the City, the Company shall make an accounting on a monthly basis to the City of all electric energy that has been distributed within the City. The Company shall pay the City:
A sum equal to five percent (5%) of the Gross Receipts received from such Distribution of electric energy; and the above sum shall be adjusted for uncollectible receivables and for receivables which are later collected.
b. Payment of the compensation above shall be effective on the first day of the first month after final passage and approval by the City and acceptance by the Company. Prior to that date, payments shall continue to be calculated and be paid in the manner previously provided by the Company. Such payments shall be made to the City under procedures which are mutually agreed to by the Company and the City within thirty (30) days of the last day of the month to which such accounting shall apply.
c. Thereafter, the fee provided for in this Section 4 shall not become effective within any area annexed by the City until thirty (30) days after the City provides the Company with a certified copy of the annexation ordinance, proof of publication as required by law and a map of the city detailing the annexed area. As part of this Franchise, the Company specifically acknowledges the most recent Boundary Resolution provided by the City as part of this Franchise, and agrees to collect the fee provided for in this Section 4 as to all properties included within the boundary described in said Boundary Resolution.
d. Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to ensure the accuracy of its records and of the determination of the amount of Gross Receipts subject to the fee provided for in this Section 4. In the event and to the extent the accounting rendered to the City by the Company is found to be incorrect due to Company’s failure to use commercially reasonable efforts as provided herein, then payment shall be made on the corrected amount, it being agreed that the City may accept any amount offered by the Company, but the acceptance thereof by the City shall not be deemed a settlement of such item if the amount is in dispute or later found to be incorrect. The Company agrees that all of its books, receipts, files, records, documents, contracts and agreements as may be reasonably necessary for an effective compliance review of this Ordinance shall upon reasonable notice and at all reasonable times be opened to the inspection and examination of the officers of the City and its duly authorized agents, auditor, and employees for the purpose of verifying said accounting. Notwithstanding the obligation herein, the Company shall have the right to require the reasonable protection of proprietary information of the Company.
e. No acceptance by the City of any franchise fee shall be construed as an accord that the amount paid is the correct amount, nor shall acceptance of any franchise fee payment be construed as a release of any claim of the City.
Section 5. Payment and Charges.
The franchise fees required herein shall be in addition to, not in lieu of, all other licenses, taxes, charges, assessments, and fees that may be imposed by the City. The franchise fee is compensation to the City for use of the Right-of-Way and shall in no way be deemed a tax of any kind. The usual general property taxes and special ad valorem property assessments, sales and excise taxes, or charges made for privileges which are not connected with the electric energy business will be imposed on the Company and are not covered by the payments herein.
Section 6. Use of Right-of-Way.
a. Subject to the provisions of this Franchise, Company shall have the right to construct, maintain and operate its Facilities along, across, upon and under the Right-of-Way. Such Facilities shall be so constructed and maintained as to not obstruct or hinder the usual travel or public safety on such public ways or obstruct the legal use of the Right-of-Way by other utilities. The use of the Right-of-Way under this Franchise by the Company shall be subject to all rules, regulations, policies, resolutions, and ordinances now or hereafter adopted or promulgated by the City in the reasonable exercise of its police power relating to use, placement, location, or management of utilities located in the City’s Right-of-Way. In addition, the Company shall be subject to all laws, rules, regulations, policies, resolutions, and ordinances now or hereafter adopted or promulgated by the City in the reasonable exercise of its police power relating to permits, fees, sidewalk and pavement cuts, utility location, construction coordination, screening, and other requirements on the use of the Right-of-Way, including, but not limited to Article 5 of Chapter XII of the De Soto City Code and any amendments thereto. The City may exercise its home rule powers in its administration and regulation related to the management of the Right-of-Way, provided that any such exercise must be competitively neutral and may not be unreasonable or discriminatory; provided, however, that nothing contained herein shall constitute a waiver of or be construed as waiving the right of the Company to oppose, challenge, or seek judicial review of, in such manner as is now or may hereafter be provided by law, any such rules, regulation, policy, resolution, or ordinance proposed, adopted, or promulgated by the City.
b. The Company’s use of the Right-of-Way shall in all matters be subordinate to the City’s use of the Right-of-Way for any public purpose. The Company shall coordinate the installation of its Facilities in the Right-of-Way in a manner which minimizes adverse impact on Public Improvements, as reasonably determined by the City. Where installation is not otherwise regulated, the Facilities shall be placed with adequate clearance from such Public Improvements so as not to conflict with such Public Improvement.
c. All earth, materials, sidewalks, paving, crossings, utilities, Public Improvements, or improvements of any kind located within the Right-of-Way damaged or removed by the Company (or of any agent, affiliate, employee, or subcontractor of Company occupying, installing, repairing or maintaining the Facilities in furtherance of Company’s activities under this Franchise) shall be fully repaired or replaced promptly by the Company without cost to the City, however, when such activity is a joint project of utilities or franchise holders, the expenses thereof shall be prorated among the participants, and to the reasonable satisfaction of the City in accordance with the ordinances and regulations of the City pertaining thereto. Nothing in this Franchise shall require the Company to repair or replace any materials, trees, flowers, shrubs, landscaping or structures that interfere with the Company’s access to any of its Facilities located in a Utility Easement.
d. Except in the event of an emergency, as reasonably determined by the Company, the Company shall comply with all laws, rules, regulations, policies, resolutions, or ordinances now or hereinafter adopted or promulgated by the City relating to any construction, reconstruction, repair, or relocation of Facilities which would require any street closure which reduces traffic flow. Notwithstanding the foregoing exception, all work, including emergency work performed in the traveled way or which in any way impacts vehicular or pedestrian traffic, shall be properly signed, barricaded, and otherwise protected.
e. The Company shall cooperate promptly and fully with the City and take all reasonable measures necessary to provide accurate and complete information regarding the location of its Facilities located within the Right-of-Way when requested by the City or its authorized agents for a Public Project. Such location and identification shall be promptly communicated in writing to the City without cost to the City, its employees, agents, or authorized contractors. The Company shall designate and maintain an agent, familiar with the Facilities, who is responsible for providing timely information needed by the City for the design and replacement of Facilities in the Right-of-Way during and for the design of Public Improvements. At the request of the Company, the City may include design for Facilities in the design of Public Projects. Also at the request of the Company, the City and/or its contractor(s) or agent(s) shall provide accurate and timely field locations of proposed Public Projects in the event the Company is required to install new and/or relocate its Facilities. The Company shall participate in the Kansas One Call utility location program at all times while this Franchise is in effect.
f. The Company shall promptly locate, remove, relocate, or adjust any Facilities located in the Right-of-Way if reasonably necessary and requested by the City for a Public Project. Such location removal, relocation, or adjustment for a particular Public Project shall be performed by the Company without expense to the City, its employees, agents, or authorized contractors, and shall be specifically subject to rules and regulations of the City pertaining to such. If additional location, removal, relocation, or adjustment is the result of the inaccurate or mistaken information of the Company, the Company shall be responsible for costs associated with such without expense to the City. Likewise, if additional location, removal, relocations or adjustment is the result of inaccurate or mistaken information of the City, the City shall reimburse the Company for any additional expense necessarily incurred by the Company directly due to such inaccurate or mistaken information. The Company shall only be responsible for removal, relocation, or adjustment of Facilities located in the Right-of-Way at the Company’s sole cost once each five (5) years for that particular facility. The City shall reimburse the Company for the removal, relocation, or adjustment of the Company’s Facilities located in the Right-of-Way if required before the expiration of five (5) years from the date of the last relocation, removal, or adjustment of that particular facility.
g. The Company shall not be responsible for the expenses of relocation to accommodate any new Public Project for Private Development initiated after the effective date of this Ordinance. The expenses attributable to such a project shall be the responsibility of the third (3rd) party upon the request and appropriate documentation of the Company. Before such expenses may be billed to the third (3rd) party, the Company shall be required to coordinate with the third (3rd) party and the City on the design and construction to ensure that the work required is necessary and done in a cost effective manner. The Company may require payment in advance of estimated costs or relocation prior to undertaking any work required to accommodate any new Public Project for Private Development initiated after the effective date of this Ordinance.
h. The City may continue to provide a location in the Right-of-Way for the Company’s Facilities as part of a Public Project, provided that the Company has cooperated promptly and fully with the City in the design of its Facilities as part of the Public Project.
i. It shall be the responsibility of the Company to take adequate measures to protect and defend its Facilities in the Right-of-Way from harm or damage. If the Company fails to accurately locate Facilities when requested, it shall have no claim for costs or damages against the City. The Company shall be responsible to the City and its agents, representatives, and authorized contractors for all damages including, but not limited to, delay damages, repair costs, down time, construction delays, penalties or other expenses of any kind arising out of the failure of the Company to perform any of its obligations under this Ordinance. The above general provisions notwithstanding, the City and its authorized contractors shall take reasonable precautionary measures including calling for utility locations through Kansas One Call and exercising due caution when working near the Company’s Facilities.
j. All technical standards governing construction, reconstruction, installation, operation, testing, use, maintenance, and dismantling of the Facilities in the Right-of-Way shall be in accordance with applicable present and future federal, state, and City laws and regulations, including but not limited to the most recent standards of the Kansas Corporation Commission and U.S. Department of Transportation. It is understood that the standards established in this paragraph are minimum standards and the requirements established or referenced in this Franchise may be additional to or stricter than such minimum standards.
k. The City encourages the conservation of the Right-of-Way by the sharing of space by all utilities. Notwithstanding provisions of this Franchise prohibiting third (3rd) party use, to the extent required by federal or state law, the Company will permit any other franchised entity by an appropriate grant, or a contract, or agreement negotiated by the parties, to use any and all Facilities constructed or erected by the Company.
l. Permission is hereby granted to the Company to trim trees upon and overhanging the right-of-way and utility easements. The Company shall perform line clearance work in accordance with regulations established under OSHA 29 CFR 1910.269. All pruning operations shall be performed by personnel qualified to perform the work and in accordance with the latest versions of ANSI Z133.1 (Safety Requirements for Pruning, Repairing, Maintaining and Removing Trees, and Cutting Brush) and ANSI A300 (Part 1) (Standard Practices for Tree, Shrub, and Other Woody Plant Maintenance). For routine trimming operations, customers shall be contacted at least one (1) week in advance by either personal contact or by informational door hanger.
Section 7. Indemnity and Hold Harmless.
The Company shall indemnify and hold and save the City, its officers, employees, agents, and authorized contractors, harmless from and against all claims, damages, expense, liability, and costs including reasonable attorney fees, to the extent occasioned in any manner by the Company’s occupancy of the Right-of-Way. In the event a claim shall be made or an action shall be instituted against the City growing out of such occupancy of the Right-of-Way by Facilities of the Company, then upon notice by the City to the Company, the Company shall assume responsibility for the defense of such actions at the cost of the Company, subject to the option of the City to appear and defend. If the Company and the City are found jointly liable by a court of competent jurisdiction, liability shall be apportioned comparatively in accordance with the laws of the State of Kansas without, however, waiving any governmental immunity available to the City under Kansas law and without waiving any defenses of the parties under Kansas or federal law. This section is solely for the benefit of the City and Company and does not create or grant any rights, contractual or otherwise, to any other person or entity. Company or City shall promptly advise the other in writing of any known claim or demand against Company or the City related to or arising out of Company’s activities in the Right-of-Way.
Section 8. Insurance Requirements.
a. During the term of this Franchise, Company shall obtain and maintain insurance coverage at its sole expense, with insurers maintaining an AM Best rating of A+ or higher and which are authorized or permitted to do business in the State of Kansas. Should Company elect to use the services of an affiliated captive insurance company for this purpose, that company shall possess a certificate of authority from the Kansas Insurance Commissioner. Company shall provide not less than the following insurance:
(1) Workers’ compensation as provided for under any worker’s compensation or similar law in the jurisdiction where any work is performed with an employers’ liability limit equal to the amount required by Kansas law;
(2) Employers’ liability limit with a limit of $1,000,000 each accident/disease/policy limit law; and
(3) Commercial general liability, including coverage for contractual liability and products completed operations liability on an occurrence basis and not a claims made basis, with a limit of not less than Six Million Dollars ($6,000,000) combined single limit per occurrence for bodily injury, personal injury, and property damage liability. The Company may meet the policy limit requirements above in combination with commercial general liability policies and umbrella liability policies. The City shall be included as an additional insured with respect to liability arising from Company’s operations under this Franchise.
b. As an alternative to the requirements of subsection a., Company may demonstrate to the satisfaction of the City that it is self-insured and as such Company has the ability to provide coverage in an amount not less than Ten Million Dollars ($10,000,000) in aggregate, to protect the City from and against all claims by any person whatsoever for loss or damage from personal injury, bodily injury, death or property damage occasioned by Company, or alleged to so have been caused or occurred. The Company’s self-insurance of its obligations and risks undertaken pursuant to this Franchise will be under a Company-approved plan of self-insurance maintained in accordance with sound accounting and risk-management principles.
c. Company shall, as a material condition of this Franchise, prior to the commencement of any work and within ten (10) days prior to any renewal thereof, deliver to the City a certificate of insurance or evidence of self-insurance, satisfactory in form and content to the City, evidencing that the above insurance is in force and will not be cancelled or materially changed with respect to areas and entities covered without first giving the City thirty (30) days prior written notice. Company shall make available to the City on request the policy declarations page and a certified copy of the policy in effect, so that limitations and exclusions can be evaluated for appropriateness of overall coverage.
Section 9. Right of Assignment.
This Franchise shall be assignable only in accordance with the laws of the State of Kansas, as the same may exist at the time when any assignment is made.
Section 10. Acceptance of Terms by Company.
Within thirty (30) days after the final passage and approval of this Ordinance, the Company shall file with the City Clerk of the City its acceptance in writing of the provisions, terms and conditions of this Ordinance. This Ordinance shall constitute a non-exclusive contract between the City and the Company.
Section 11. Conditions of Franchise.
This non-exclusive franchise, grant, and privilege is granted under and subject to all applicable laws and under and subject to all of the orders, rules, and regulations now or hereafter adopted by governmental bodies now or hereafter having jurisdiction.
Section 12. Invalidity of Ordinance.
If any clause, sentence, or section of this Ordinance shall be held to be invalid, it shall not affect the remaining provisions of this Ordinance.
Section 13. Effective Date of Ordinance.
This Ordinance shall take effect and be in force on the first day of the first month after its passage and approval by the City, acceptance by the Company, and publication in the official city newspaper.
Section 14. Repeal of Conflicting Ordinances.
Ordinance No. 879, which heretofore granted a non-exclusive franchise to the Company, and which became a contract between the City and the Company in accordance with its terms, and all other ordinances and resolutions or parts thereof inconsistent or in conflict with the terms hereof, are hereby canceled, annulled, repealed, and set aside.
Section 15. Revocation and Termination.
In case of failure on the part of Grantee to comply with any of the provisions of this Franchise, or if Grantee should do or cause to be done any act or thing prohibited by or in violation of the terms of this Franchise, Grantee shall forfeit all rights, privileges and franchise granted herein, and all such rights, privileges and franchise hereunder shall cease, terminate and become null and void, and this Franchise shall be deemed revoked or terminated, provided that said revocation or termination, shall not take effect until the City has completed the following procedures: Before the City proceeds to revoke and terminate this Franchise, it shall first serve a written notice upon Grantee, setting forth in detail the neglect or failure complained of, and Grantee shall have sixty (60) days thereafter in which to comply with the conditions and requirements of this Franchise. If at the end of such sixty (60) day period the City deems that the conditions have not been complied with, the City shall take action to revoke and terminate this Franchise by an affirmative vote of the Governing Body present at the meeting and voting, setting out the grounds upon which this Franchise is to be revoked and terminated; provided, to afford Grantee due process, Grantee shall first be provided reasonable notice of the date, time and location of the Governing Body’s consideration, and shall have the right to address the Governing Body regarding such matter; and further provided, if the nature of the default is such that it cannot be reasonably cured within the above said sixty (60) day period, and the Governing Body believes the Grantee has in good faith timely commenced its cure and is diligently pursuing the completion of the same, Grantee shall be given a reasonable additional period of time to complete its cure.. Nothing herein shall prevent the City from invoking any other remedy that may otherwise exist at law. Upon any determination by the Governing Body to revoke and terminate this Franchise, Grantee shall have thirty (30) days to appeal such decision to the District Court of Johnson County, Kansas. This Franchise shall be deemed revoked and terminated at the end of this thirty (30) day period, unless Grantee has instituted such an appeal. If Grantee does timely institute such an appeal, such revocation and termination shall remain pending and subject to the court’s final judgment. Provided, however, that the failure of Grantee to comply with any of the provisions of this Franchise or the doing or causing to be done by Grantee of anything prohibited by or in violation of the terms of this Franchise shall not be a ground for the revocation or termination thereof when such act or omission on the part of Grantee is due to any cause or delay beyond the control of Grantee or to bona fide legal proceedings.
Section 16. Rights and Duties of Company Upon Expiration of Franchise.
Upon expiration of this Franchise Ordinance, whether by lapse of time, by agreement between the City and the Company, or by forfeiture thereof, the Company shall have the right to remove any and all of Facilities used in its business within a reasonable time and after such expiration, but in such event, it shall be the duty of the Company, immediately upon and during such removal, to restore the streets, avenues, alleys, parks, and other public ways and grounds from which said Facilities have been removed, to the equivalent condition as the same were before said removal was effected.
Section 17. Reservation of Rights.
a. To the extent permitted by law, the City specifically reserves its right and authority as a public entity with responsibilities towards its citizens, to participate to the full extent allowed by law in proceedings concerning Grantee’s rates and services to ensure the rendering of efficient services at reasonable rates, and the maintenance of the Right-of-Way and Grantee’s property in good repair.
b. In granting its consent hereunder, the City does not in any manner waive its regulatory or other rights and powers under and by virtue of the laws of the State of Kansas as the same may be amended, its Home Rule powers under the Constitution of the State of Kansas, nor any of its rights and powers under or by virtue of present or future ordinances of the City.
c. In granting its consent hereunder, Grantee does not in any manner waive its regulatory or other rights and powers under and by virtue of the laws of the State of Kansas or applicable Federal laws and regulations, as the same may be amended, or under the Constitution of the State of Kansas, nor any of its rights and powers under or by virtue of present or future ordinances of the City.
d. In entering into this Franchise, neither the City’s nor Grantee’s present or future legal rights, positions, claims, assertions or arguments before any administrative agency or court of law are in any way prejudiced or waived. By entering into the Franchise, neither the City nor Grantee waive any rights, but instead expressly reserve any and all rights, remedies, and arguments the City or Grantee may have at law or equity, without limitation, to argue, assert, and/or take any position as to the legality or appropriateness of any present or future laws, non-franchise ordinances and/or rulings.
Section 18. Failure to Enforce.
The failure of either the City or the Grantee to insist in any one or more instances upon the strict performance of any one or more of the terms or provisions of this Franchise shall not be construed as a waiver or relinquishment for the future of any such term or provision, and the same shall continue in full force and effect. No waiver or relinquishment shall be deemed to have been made by the City or the Grantee unless said waiver or relinquishment is in writing and signed by both the City and the Grantee.
Section 19. Payment of Costs.
The Company shall be responsible for payment of all costs and expense of publishing this Franchise Ordinance and any amendments thereof.
Section 20. Point of Contact and Notices.
Company shall at all times maintain with the City a point of contact who shall be available at all times to act on behalf of Company in the event of an emergency. Company shall provide the City with said contact’s name, address, telephone number, fax number and e-mail address. Emergency notice by Company to the City may be made by telephone to the City Clerk or the City Building Inspector. All other notices between the parties shall be in writing and shall be made by personal delivery, depositing such notice in the U.S. Mail, Certified Mail, return receipt requested, or overnight delivery by a nationally recognized courier. All written notices shall be deemed delivered upon actual receipt or refusal of delivery.
The City:
City of De Soto, Kansas
32905 West 84th St.
P.O. Box C
De Soto, Kansas 66018
Attn: City Clerk
(913) 583-3123 fax
(913) 971-8675 phone
Company:
Westar Energy, Inc. 23505 W. 86th Street
Shawnee, KS 66227
Attn: Manager Public Affairs
(785) 667-5160 fax
(785) 667-5105 phone
or to replacement addresses that may be later designated in writing.
Section 21. Effective Date of Ordinance.
This Franchise Ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2013, conditioned upon its passage, approval by the Governing Body, acceptance by the Company, and publication in the official City newspaper prior to July 1, 2013.
Section 22. Force Majeure.
Each and every provision hereof shall be reasonably subject to acts of God, fires, strikes, riots, floods, tornadoes, war, and other disasters beyond the City’s or the Company’s control.
(06-20-2013)