[Hidden-tech] Help get internet access for 'partially service' towns of Buckland, Shelburne, Conway and Northfield

[Rich Roth]

*Details from Recorder, Sept 2, 2013 - p D1

Selectmen seek letters supporting high-speed Internet*

*By DIANE BRONCACCIO Recorder Staff*

BUCKLAND --- Selectmen's Chairwoman Cheryl L. Dukes wants to bring a 
bundle of letters to Boston from Franklin County residents to support 
Internet access for underservedwestern towns.She will testify at a 
legislative hearing Sept. 18 on a bill to raise money for information 
technology.

The bill includes $40 million to build "final mile" infrastructure, but 
four Franklin County towns --- Buckland, Shelburne, Conway and 
Northfield --- could be left out of that funding because they have 
partial high-speed access through Comcast cable.

When area legislators were asked what these local towns could do to 
enhance the chances that unserved parts of their towns could get 
"wired," legislators advised them to come to the Boston hearing or to at 
least write letters of support. They said legislators in the more 
populated eastern part of the state --- where Internet access is not a 
problem --- need to understand the impact that lack of high-speed access 
can have on rural communities in terms of economic development, 
educational opportunities, health and public safety issues and even 
property values.

Dukes is hoping to bring letters to the House Committee on Bonding, 
Capital Expenditures and State Assets at the Sept. 18 hearing, which 
takes place at 11 a.m. in Hearing Room B-1 in the Boston Statehouse.

The full Board of Selectmen agreed to head a letter-writing campaign for 
high-speed Internet access, and are accepting letters of support from 
any town.*

Deadline: Sept. 16*

The letters may be sent to Town Administrator Andrea Llamas at: Buckland 
Town Hall, 17 State St., Shelburne Falls, MA 01370. To be included, they 
must be received by 4 p.m. on Sept. 16. The letters may also be e-mailed 
to: townadmin at town.buckland.ma.us <http://buckland.ma.us/>.

Selectmen ask that the letters be addressed to the House and 
Senate**committee chairmen: The Honorable Antonio Cabral of the House 
Committee, and The Honorable Brian Joyce of the Senate Committee on 
Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets.

Recommended topics to include might be:

?Online access to education for homework assignments, long-distance 
learning or research.

?Public safety and emergency responder issues.

?Economic and business development and support,including workforce 
training development.

Also, to bolster the town's efforts to put into place the infrastructure 
for high-speed Internet, Selectmen Tuesday night voted to form an Ad Hoc 
Internet Access Committee that will advise selectmen and the town on 
"all aspects of increasing Internet access" to residents --- especially 
in areas without broadband.

The committee will include the town administrator, a selectman, a 
Finance Committee member, Cable Advisory Committee member Glen Cardinal 
and up to three town residents. Its mission is to "provide a focal point 
for the planning and implementation" of increased Internet access.



	
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Copyright © 2013 Greenfield Recorder 09/02/2013
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