9.j Staff Report-application to CBR for broadband consulting
Staff Report
Date of Meeting: March 20, 2018
To: City Council
From: Neil Soltis, Administrator
Re: Blandin Community Broadband Resources program
Background: The Blandin Foundation promotes the active engagement of communities in ensuring
their own telecommunications and technology vitality, ranging from market development activities
to infrastructure and service improvements. The Foundation has created a Community Broadband
Resources Program (CBR) to provide technical assistance and general support to communities to
explore next steps in high-speed internet services.
One of the forms of assistance the CBR provides is quality, tech-neutral, vendor-neutral advice
consulting assistance to communities seeking to determine appropriate next steps towards
technology vitality. The assistance is in the form of consulting time. No grant funds are made to
the communities through this program, only short-term technical assistance.
Applications for project assistance are evaluated on an ongoing basis. CBR goals include providing
project assistance to 15 communities ranging from 16 to 32 hours and to provide personal ad hoc
assistance to 25 communities.
Chris Eng, Washington County Economic Development Director informed the Eda of this program at
the 3/12 meeting and is familiar with communities that have received the assistance and one of the
consultants working for CBR.
Issue: Should the City make application to CBR for assistance in working with the internet focus
group
Fiscal Impact: There is no cost to the City for the assistance
Options:
1. Support an application to CBR
2. Take no action
Recommendation: Option1