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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