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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
PROMOTING DIGITAL EQUITY THROUGH THE WIDE AREA NETWORK AND BROADBAND EXPANSION
WHEREAS, Article VII, Section 10 of the Constitution of the State of Illinois authorizes and encourages units of local government to contract in any manner not prohibited by law or ordinance; and
WHEREAS, the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act, 5 ILCS 220/1 et seq. authorizes units of local government to enter into intergovernmental agreements with other public agencies; and
WHEREAS, SSMMA is a public agency as defined under Section 2 of the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act, 5 ILCS 220/2; and
WHEREAS, South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association (SSMMA), owns, manages and maintains a high-speed telecommunications network brand as Chicago Southland Fiber Network (CSFN); and
WHEREAS, Cook County & SSMMA have worked as close collaborators regarding CSFN for over a decade, including two previously executed Intergovernmental Agreements - one granting the County an Indefeasible Right of Use of Fiber on CSFN on April 9th, 2014 (Item No. 14-2274) and the second for Broadband Maintenance and Other Related Services on September 14th, 2016 (Item No. 16-5098 and 16-5099); and
WHEREAS, Cook County & SSMMA have been collaborating on the expansion of CSFN through Federal and Stant Grants awarded to the County for such purpose; and
WHEREAS, Cook County and SSMMA have determined that it is in the best interest of both parties and the network for CSFN to terminate the existing Intergovernmental Agreements which expire in 2034 and enter into a new Intergovernmental Agreement with Cook County through the Office of the President and the Bureau of Technology which allows SSMMA to transfer its rights, ownership and control of the Wide Area Network, including Fiber to Cook County in exchange for $2 million and assign SSMMA’s Interim Operating Agreement with Urbancom.net Fiber Operations, Inc. for broadband maintenance and an indeafesible right of use to Cook County through the Office of the President and Bureau of Technology; and
WHEREAS, the assigned Interim Operating Agreement with Urbancom.net Fiber Operations, Inc. is a three-year agreement with two, one-year renewal options. The annual cost of the assigned Interim Operating Agreement is $1,248,903.00. This includes the cost of maintaining the County’s legacy network ($492,466), which is already captured in the County’s annual operating budget and in previous years was paid for through the existing IGA with SSMMA; and
WHEREAS, the Wide Area Network enables the Cook County’s Oak Forest campus and Markham courthouse to connect the County’s high-capacity fiber backbone but this assignment will allow Cook County to expand internet services to southern Cook County and increase its equitable digital footprint as well as allow the County to strategically expand infrastructure.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners does hereby authorize the Office of the President and the Bureau of Technology to enter into a new Intergovernmental Agreement with SSMMA for the assignment of SSMMA’s rights, ownership, and control of the Wide Area Network previously authorized under Item No.’s 14-2274,16-5098 and 16-5099 in exchange for $2 million which shall be funded under account 11569.1009.21120.560225; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners does hereby authorize the Office of the President and the Bureau of Technology to accept and execute the assignment of SSMMA’s Interim Operating Agreement with Urbancom.net Fiber Operations, Inc. at the annual cost of $1,248,903.00 which is funded under account 11100.1499.15050.520155.
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