Denise Mason, Deerfield

Christina Slocum-Wysk, Bernardston

Welcome everyone! Please put your name & town in the chat if you're able to. We're glad you're here!

Mayor Nicole LaChapelle, Easthampton

Wylie Goodman, BRPC

Greetings all! Doug Finn, Admin Assistant for the Town of Westhampton. Glad to be here...

Kent Lew, Washington

Justine Dodds, City of Pittsfield

Mary McGurn Egremont

Michaela Grady, CDBG Coordinator for Westfield

Stacy Parsons, North Adams

Sally Pick, Montague Energy Committee

Mallory Sullivan, Grant Development Director, Northfield

Anika Lopes, Amherst Town Council

Brianna Sunryd, Town of Amherst, Director of Communications & Civic Innovation

Welcome everyone! Please put your name & town in the chat if you're able to. We're glad you're here!

Bob Dean, FRCOG

Kaitlin Rooks, Town of Southampton

Chris Fowles, Southampton Select Board and Grant Committee

Marissa Otero, Office of Sen Velis

Eric Weiss, PVPC

Annie Lesko, City of Northampton

Jennifer.Metsch@MaSenate.gov From Senator Eric Lesser's Office. 1st Hampden Hampshire District.

Debin Bruce, Northampton Forbes Trustee

This probably goes without saying, but will we get the slides afterwards?

Amanda Hamilton, Tyringham, Berks. Co. Planning Board

Yes! We will be sharing the slides and the recording after the workshop.

The slides & recording from this workshop (and the others in the series) will be here: https://frcog.org/state-funding-information-sessions-for-western-ma-municipalities-spring-2022/

Kevin Zawistowski, City of Pittsfield

As we go through this presentation, feel free to enter questions into the chat.

Here's the link to more information and to apply: https://broadband.masstech.org/municipal-digital-equity-planning-program

Carol HardyFanta here from tyringham. (I was on by phone while driving, but now I’m fully on zoom.

Again here's the link to more information and to apply: https://broadband.masstech.org/municipal-digital-equity-planning-program

What is the timeline, after a community applies?

Easthampton has applied. When do we hear back if our application was accepted?

Nicole - we are contracting with our prequalified consultants now and expect to have those agreements finalized in the coming days. Once we have those contracts final we will push consultant lists to those municipalities who have applied ASAP!

Question. If a town has achieved 99% fiber broadband coverage, can they participate in the BEAD program to secure core improvements such as redundant backhaul and switching equipment

Northampton Forbes Library provided hot spot equipment to our public housing facility

Josh - thank you!

What is the general timeline, after a community applies to the planning program?

Does this planning process include pre-schools, Charter Schools, private schools?

Tyringham has benefited hugely from high speed Internet access. I believe that he’s saying there aren’t any towns left without library and town offices hooked up.

If most of our coverage is private cable, what might be the best use of the funds?

"Connected" does not mean "Active". Our Clerk uses the connection for voting activities, with the State is paying for the connection. The Police Dept has a similar arrangement. However, I looked into getting our town offices connected via MBI through through a local service provider, and the cost for a modest package was at least thee times the cost of a similar level of service through a private broadband provider (Comcast).

Doug - it may be helpful to contact Easthampton's IT Director Dr Karin Camihort by email Kcamihort@easthamptonma.gov

MBI should be able to tell every community what public resources are connected as municipalities had to give the list of their requested hook-ups years ago. I think the data is out there in MBI files and needs to be assembled for Rep. Barrett. It is also possible for Berkshire County, that Mark Maloy of BRPC may currently have that data.

Sheffield submitted its Municipal Digital Equity Planning application last night. we are excited about this opportunity. Hope to hear soon that we have been selected and get going right after the start of 2023.

Is it possible that an action step ends up supporting residents apply for the federal discount?

My chat just got lost. My concern is that some folks either can’t afford the hook up/monthly charges, don’t have smartphones or computers, or have little or no experience with how to use the internet.

Nicole - 100% that would be an excellent action step out of the planning process.

In small, rural communities such as ours in Tyringham, affordability is definitely an issue. We have One provider, Charter Spectrum and they flex their power as a Monopoly. Especially in relation to our seniors.

Is there enough money in the fund for all communities across the state to go through the planning process? Thanks

All cable service is a monopoly. Providing additional or complementary service is expensive.

Hi Jon, based on our take rate estimates we expect that there will be enough funding available to support all communities who want to participate in the planning program.

Thanks, Josh

@Tom H. This is true, but Everett, Revere, Somerville have much more clout to deal with them.

Is there a $ maximum for the planning grant process?

Thank You, Smitty!

@Amanda Hamiton - perhaps one option is for adjacent towns to negotiate their franchise agreements together as a unit? It would be a tough lift, and could take time, but could bring results?

the Five Town Cable Advisory Committee in Southern Berkshires is beginning to negotiate the first TWCable to Charter contract license renewal for Cable TV contract. We ARE NOT SEEING WHAT YOU AARE Saying and Smitty is speaking to truth.

Hi Christine, there is no max $ grant for planning - we do have some target estimates for planning costs based on community size based on fixed fee estimates provided by the consultants. Our goal is to support communities meet there goals!

Can you tell us once again how to move forward? Acp?

Hi Carol - moving forward with the planning program can be done by applying here: https://airtable.com/shrVgdSM8h102rv2t

Rep Barrett also speaks to truth. Thank you and Smitty.

Communities that want to get involved in ACP can find great resources here: https://www.educationsuperhighway.org/acpbenefit/

What Rep Barrett says!

Totally agree with Rep Barrett!

broadband@masstech.org

eichen@masstech.org

Echoing the reps - in our town, I don't think any of the MBI connections are being used due to the cost.

Really all the work it took to put this together. Many thanks!

The slides & recording from this workshop (and the others in the series) will be here: https://frcog.org/state-funding-information-sessions-for-western-ma-municipalities-spring-2022/

Thanks all - I have to jump - be in touch!

Thank you!