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Despite the height of summer, much has transpired on the local high-speed internet access front over the past month.
First off, on July 28th, the Broadband Bill was passed in its final form by the Massachusetts Legislature, and signed by Governor Patrick on August 4th. The Bill was increased from $25 to $40 million, which is designated for investment in broadband infrastructure in the Commonwealth to support deployment of affordable broadband and ubiquitous access to unserved areas. The Governor’s office is currently working on appointing a board that will oversee the state-wide installation. The board will leverage investments with providers with the intention of creating a robust, modern broadband infrastructure designed to meet future bandwidth needs. We are waiting to hear about estimated timelines.
Another significant development was the formation of The Southern Berkshire Technology Committee, also at the end of July. Delegates from southern Berkshire towns’ broadband and technology committees came together with the Southern Berkshire Chamber of Commerce to form a community-led group to expedite the state’s rollout and make sure the best interests of our communities are being served. The SBTC pledges to work with the State and local towns on permitting, zoning, and other necessary approvals to ensure the rapid and comprehensive deployment of modern broadband.
The SBTC has been endorsed by the Select Boards of 11 towns so far, including Becket, Great Barrington, Alford, Egremont, Monterey, Mt. Washington, New Marlborough, Otis, Sandisfield, Sheffield, and Tyringham. The SBTC believes that broadband access is an absolute requirement for economic development, education, communications, health and safety, and quality of life in our communities – and that it’s the contemporary equivalent of rural electrification and telephone initiatives of the past.
On August 5th, in Great Barrington, SBTC committee members presented Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick with a signed and ratified copy of an agreement between the Towns of the Southern Berkshires to create the Southern Berkshire Technology Committee. The letter outlined the importance of modern broadband access to the long-term vitality of the region and also voiced the SBTC’s intent to play an important and constructive role working with the Massachusetts Broadband Institute and other parties to develop a technologically robust plan for bringing broadband to the Commonwealth’s under-served towns.
The group includes representatives from the Southern Berkshire Chamber of Commerce and broadband committees that were formed in towns across our region to address the discrimination against rural communities with regard to high-speed Internet access. The members of the Committee represent a cross-section of our communities: technology experts, professionals, educators, small business owners, retirees, families and concerned citizens. Two members of Monterey’s broadband committee – Monica Webb and Michael Storch – are also members of the SBTC.
- Monica Webb
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