Connect Ohio technical outreach staff presented Morgan County officials with a financially viable and sustainable broadband expansion model in a meeting Wednesday, March 16, at the Morgan County Extension Agent in McConnelsville, Ohio. Following months of data collection, cost estimation, and propagation studies by Connect Ohio technical outreach manager Bart Winegar, coordinator Ira Dye, and Matthew Pepper of Chesterhill municipal wireless Internet service provider, the model was presented to Morgan County officials for review. The model leverages efforts from local eCommunity Strategy planning that began in 2009 with the assistance of Connect Ohio. Many local leaders participated in these early meetings and provided valuable input.
“This presentation was the culmination of a lot of work,” said Winegar. “I’m encouraged that county commissioners and economic development staff were present and agreed to take time to review the model.”
According to Connect Ohio’s 2008 Consumer Technology Assessment for Morgan County, only 25% of households received broadband service to the home, significantly less than the state average at the time, which was 55%.*
“This is positive for the area and the residents of Morgan County,” said Pepper. “(Broadband) adoption is not the issue. Availability is the issue.”
In a few weeks, the group will reconvene to discuss the next steps needed to make the model a reality.
“I’m excited about the opportunity and potential partnership between Chesterhill and the county and to be able to provide a service to so many unserved households,” said Shannon Wells, director of the Morgan County Development Office.
Those in attendance for Wednesday’s meeting included:
- Dean Cain, Morgan County commissioner
- Steve Hook, Morgan County engineer
- Bo Powell, Morgan County Engineer’s Office
- Matthew Pepper, Chesterhill municipal wireless Internet service provider
- Shannon Wells, director of the Morgan County Development Office
- Ira Dye, technical outreach coordinator at Connect Ohio
- Tom Fritz, executive director at Connect Ohio
- Bart Winegar, technical outreach manager at Connect Ohio
- Chip Spann, director of engineering & technical services at Connected Nation
During the meeting, Connect Ohio presented Matthew Pepper with a Broadband Hero Award,
acknowledging him for the many hours and resources he donates to help other households in his community get connected to broadband, as well as aiding his local library with their computers, network and broadband connection.
Because of Pepper’s work, 50 homes in the Chesterhill area have access to high-speed Internet.
“One-third of those currently using Chesterhill wireless have home Internet businesses and there’s no shortage of people asking to be put on the system,” said Pepper. “This (expansion) is positive for the area and residents.”
*A 2011 Residential Technology Assessment for each county will be available later this year.
To view additional photos from the meeting, click here.
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