TOWN OF WARWICK Selectboard February 25, 2007, 6 P.M. Town Hall Draft Agenda I. 6:00 CALL TO ORDER II 6:00 MINUTES III 6:05 PRESENTATIONS / DISCUSSIONS 6:05 1. Consolidating Town Park drains 6:10 2. "Town Hall Improvements" budget line 6:15 3. Correcting the BoS meeting calendar 6:20 4. Selectboard Reports 6:25 5. Town Coordinator's Report (see this text file on the reports page) 6:30 6. ATM warrant articles? 6:35 7. Broadband access and the fire tower IV 6:40 PUBLIC COMMENT V 6:50 ADJOURNMENT Broadband access and the "fire tower" From: plemon@fugue.com Subject: Broadband update to the Selectboard Date: February 20, 2008 10:36:03 AM EST As you all probably know by now, Janet (Conover) and I went to Boston last Thursday to a hearing on the Governor's proposed Broadband bond issue - which is now for $40M, up from $25M as originally proposed - to provide planning and infrastructure to be used to leverage service to unserved (us) and underserved (Princeton) towns. Governor Patrick testified as did a number of other State officials and representatives from groups like Berkshire Connect and Pioneer Valley Connect. I was most impressed with the testimony of a young man representing a Washington (DC)-based non-profit (CONNECTedNation) working on rural broadband connectivity. His group actually has a track record, having gotten services established in rural Kentucky. They are now working on Tennessee, W. Virginia, and a couple of other Southern states. I delivered your written testimony to Committee Chairman Mark Montigny (Legislative Web page http://www.mass.gov/legis/member/mcm0.htm; e-mail: Mark.Montigny@state.ma.us), and Janet spoke eloquently about the economic detriment this lack poses to entrepreneurial ventures in towns like ours. We also emphasized the issue of service providers' unwillingness to serve small towns even when there is some infrastructure available and our hope that the Committee would set limits to the proportion of the money that could go to planning, rather than infrastructure. Janet further suggested a sunset provision to preclude the kind of useless, expensive, long-drawn-out ghost lives so many state agencies seem to enjoy. From: janetconover@msn.com Subject: Legal entity for tower space lease Date: February 22, 2008 6:27:51 PM EST Have you sent that letter off to DCR requesting space for the town on the fire tower and the "H" transmitter tower? If not, could you include a request as to what legal entity type would be acceptable or preferred - private corporation, LLC, non-profit or Municipal? Would they prefer to deal directly with a transmitter company or designate space on the tower for the town, with town then subcontracting installation and maintenance out to a professional? I can put together an LLC. George Day knows how to put together a non-profit. Municipal is obvious. Your letter probably will not be acted on without follow-up phone calls from us and others. Could I suggest that a copy of your letter be sent to Sharon E. Gillett, Commissioner of the Department of Telecommunications and Cable asking for a supportive phone call to start with? Perhaps another copy to our state rep? Sharon E. Gillett, Commissioner Department of Telecommunication and Cable One South Station Boston MA 02110 617 305 3769 617 305 3580 FAX Sharon.Gillett@state.ma.us Sharon is the small dark-haired woman who spoke for DCHD at the hearing. She is point person on Duval's broadband initiative. From: plemon@fugue.com Subject: Re: Legal entity for tower space lease Date: February 23, 2008 8:06:09 AM EST You're amazing, Janet! No letter has been written or sent, yet. Our first opportunity to discuss it as a Selectboard will be Monday. In the meantime, maybe you could discuss this with Broadband Committee members so they can give us the benefit of their advice, too?