Hello
all.
Some
of you asked for a summary of the meeting. I will try to give my
impression.
Before
I forget, the next mtg date was set for Monday, May 12, at 7pm,
Town Hall.
It
was a good meeting. Lot's of enthusiasm. Never enough time to cover
everything.
We
started out with a discussion of Verizon with our guest, Michael
Pequignot, Verizon Regional Director for Public Affairs. We thanked
him
for coming and started by trying to just get a sense of the
infrastructure in Shutesbury. He explained that there is likely to
be a
lot of fiber along the main roads. We began asking about various
"mystery boxes" we have noticed around town, and although
he couldn't
tell us what they were, he offered to get that information. I sent
an
email this morning thanking him, and listing the following mystery
boxes:
1.
Box on Lakeview Rd. near Lake Wyola Dam
2. Shed next to Shutesbury Elementary School on West Pelham Rd., near
Leverett Rd. (CLIC?)
3. Corner of Baker Rd. and West Pelham Rd.
4. Depot Rd. in Leverett
5. Small brick building with boarded up windows at the bottom of Market
Hill Rd, near Pine St. in Amherst
6. Cabinet type thing at the bottom of Shutesbury Rd, right above
where
Shutesbury Rd. meets Flathills and Northeast Streets in Amherst
Then
we started inquiring about ways that Verizon could "hypothetically"
bring in new infrastructure to provide new broadband service. The
only
way he discussed was bringing in new DSL switching equipment (apologies
for any misuse of technical terms) to some central location from which
DSL service could be provided to anyone within 18,000 ft (by telephone
wire, not as the crow flies). He said this could be critical point
for
Verizon. They are waiting for "regulatory relief" in order
to make new
investments such as these. If that relief comes, Verizon would be
willing to provide new service to SOME of the homes that do not have
it.
The denser eastern part of the state would be the obvious choice,
but we
were encouraged to make a big stink, and were given the impression
that
being loud could make a big difference.
Then
we had a short introduction from Jessica Atwood, who explained her
work with FranklinHampdenConnect. This organization is trying to do
what
we are doing on a county level (2 counties). It is based on a success
story called BerkshireConnect. But since the IT bust and State aid
cuts,
plans have been delayed seriously. Jessica also suggested that we
develop connections with HiddenTech(.org?) For example, it would be
great if someone would contact them and, among other things, get a
contact (or email) list for their members in Shutesbury.
We
had originally wanted to spend the second half of the meeting talking
about co-op models and the fiber-to-the-home build out concept, but
things went elsewhere. Instead we discussed some next steps.
First,
we decided we should canvas our survey more widely. We want to
make sure we are not perceived by anybody as secretive or exclusive
in
any way. Thus a survey could help get the word out about what we are
doing, while helping us get a better sense of the quantity and kind
of
interest that is out there. Dick Nathorst volunteered work up an
initial draft and send it around. We thought we could combine that
with
a paragraph explaining what we are. Then we could make copies and
we
could all fan out at the town meeting and ask people to fill them
out on
the spot and give them to us right there.
We
also were interested in knowing if there is an opportunity at some
point to simply introduce this group at the Town Meeting, but no one
knew if that would be allowed, if there would be room in the schedule,
etc. An answer to this question would be great.
We
will also try to get it into the town newsletter and and a link to
it
on the town web site. I get the impression it would be better to post
the survey on another web site and just have a link to it on the town
web site. Could we use the web site Charles Strader created
(www.onechoice.com/stic/)? Keith Dragon has graciously volunteered
to
help create the survey, wherever it goes. (If it works for everyone,
perhaps Charles and Keith could coordinate that.)
We
would also like to replicate these activities in Leverett, Pelham,
Montague, and elsewhere. More help is needed to do that.
Finally,
we decided to begin assigning point people for different
tangents. here are the tangents we mentioned, and the people who agreed
to be point people so far. Let me know if I missed you, if you'd like
a
tangent, or if you want to propose another tangent (although proposing
a
tangent automatically makes you the most desirable point person for
that
tangent).
Fiber-to-the-home
DSL
Coax - Paul
Wireless - Steve B.?
Co-op models - Rob B.?
Financing
Verizon
Comcast and other Cable Co.'s - Aron G. and Dick N.?
Town connection - David C. and Aron G.
Other Political connections - Michael D.
Survey - Dick N.
Coordinating mtgs, etc. - Aron G.
What Did Charlemont Do? Committee - Dan M.
"The Media"
One
final interpretation. There is a time for surveying the field, after
which, it is time to focus. I think we are doing things just right,
but
let's be mindful of at least two potential pitfalls: becoming consumed
by an inexhaustible array of possibilities to research and never getting
to the implementation phase; and on the other hand, implementing a
flawed plan because insufficient time was taken to understand the
options and the circumstances.
Sheesh.
That's a lot.
Thanks!
Aron
--
Aron P. Goldman
Policy Development
73 Weatherwood Road
Amherst, Massachusetts 01002
Tel: 413 549 1193 Fax: 413 549 1194
Email: goldman@policydevelopment.org
Website: www.policydevelopment.org
