Posted by: thepinetree on 02/26/2008 03:07 PM
Updated by: Kim_Hamilton on 02/26/2008 03:40 PM
Expires: 01/01/2013 12:00 AM
:
Broadband Takes a Step Forward as Calaveras County Passes Resoluton Promote Broadband and Technology Increases for the County~By John Hamilton
San Andreas, CA...Michele Shelton from the Amador-Tuolumne Community Action Agency addressed Board of Supervisors today about the California Emerging Technologies fund. ATTCA is leading the cause for getting grants to improve Broadband Access in the local Five-County area. These grants are for planning and infrastructure. They are following a very successful project over in the Humboldt County Area....
Part of these funds is for a roll out of a 211 information services number. The proposed 211 service is a Health & Human Services equivalent to the 911 service for people to have a simple three digit number to access information in the case of a national disaster or other need. On hand was a Valley Springs resident who oversaw the successful Stanislaus County adoption of the program.
The Board passed the Resolution unanimously. One concern voiced was that if a regional provider such as Golden State Cellular invested in bringing broadband to additional underserved areas, what is to prevent the major carriers such as ATT or Comcast from deploying into additional areas. There is nothing built into this process from preventing that but with the rural nature on the counties being served wireless has traditionally been the most cost effective way to deploy these services. After addressing the Calaveras Board,Michele was on her way to the Amador County Board Meeting to address them on a similar resolution there.
Michele mentioned that they will be helping Golden State Cellular apply for an infrastructure grant that would help them expand broadband availability to rural undeserved areas. The local service providers are applying for $6,000,000 in infrastructure grants.
The Resolution is below:
WHEREAS, broadband internet services are not available equally throughout the
community; and
WHEREAS, Calaveras County staff and Board of Supervisors have worked hard to form public and private partnerships to address this issue; and
WHEREAS, The Amador-Tuolumne Community Action Agency has applied for a grant from the California Emerging Technology Fund to facilitate the development of broadband internet throughout the community through a planning, outreach and engagement aggregation of demand project called
A-TCAA Central Sierra Connect;
and
WHEREAS, the A-TCAA Central Sierra Connect will help prepare to blanket the entire county with internet service; and
WHEREAS, the A-TCAA Central Sierra Connect project will prepare Calaveras County residents with the skill set necessary for the jobs and technology of tomorrow, while also attracting and retaining technology related jobs; and
WHEREAS, the A-TCAA Central Sierra Connect project will attempt to address the "digital divide" by working towards providing low-cost or no-cost personal computers and technology training to underserved population groups; and
WHEREAS, the A-TCAA Central Sierra Connect project will plan to support a growing mobile workforce and elevate the technical knowledge of the current and future workforces; and
WHEREAS, the A-TCAA Central Sierra Connect project will continue the transformation of services throughout Calaveras County and support the continued development of Calaveras County’s eGovernment services; and
WHEREAS, the A-TCAA Central Sierra Connect project facilitates a competitive public-private partnership that encourages the development of new businesses, as well as creative new opportunities for information service delivery; and
WHEREAS, the A-TCAA Central Sierra Connect project will be a tremendous asset for attracting and retaining businesses and for fostering job creation in local communities throughout Calaveras County; and
WHEREAS, the A-TCAA Central Sierra Connect project will be a model of cooperation and collaboration between government, business and education and the community;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Calaveras County Board of
Supervisors hereby affirms its support for A-TCAA Central Sierra Connect to apply for grant funding from CETF to facilitate the spread of broadband service to its community and furthermore the Calaveras County Board of Supervisors and staff will continue to remain involved in this project in the future.
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