08-02-07 Meeting Minutes

St. Lawrence County IT Advisory Committee

Meeting Minutes
August 2, 2007 (Thursday) 2:00 PM


Present: Sign in sheet handed out. (Laura Perry has)

Review/Accept Minutes from 6/28/07 Meeting: Yes.

New Business:
Computer Equipment Retirement/Procurement Policy:
County to purchase approximately 93 computers in 2008.
Karen St. Hilaire & Pat Turbett would like info on what other agencies are doing.
1. BOCES (Jennifer French) found a company to recycle and guarantees no security leak.
2. Company on NYS Contract (per Carrie Tuttle-DANC) that takes computers, clears hard drive and guarantees security.
3. Claxton Hepburn has C-7 company to take computers and destroy hard drive.
4. Massena School has 5 year length on computers, tosses bad computers out. Pays more up front for ram and processor to last 5 years. Some computers are based on level of computer use.
5. Some schools have a written computer policy.
Suggest not buying 3 year warranty – need to see cost of 3 year warranty.
Laura – suggest putting this on BLOG to see what info we get back on this subject.
Check to see why the computers are becoming obsolete.
Check to see user needs to establish reasoning to update.

$200K Broadband Grant from Senator Clinton/Schumer’s Office:
Karen St. Hilaire spoke on this.
Discussion on Danc line.
$200K to do a pilot on several communities to fill out last mile solutions.
Budget is October 1st to September 30th. (As long as State budget goes through).
Need to do new communities – small communities that are not broadband ready.
Seek advice on how to use this $200K to get high speed internet to communities that are not served.
Money comes to Chamber, they want to work with IT Committee or County on how to do this.
Importance on utilizing local companies.
Question: Is this for infrastructure? Karen said yes – in order to stretch $ farthest.
Karen wants to get to communities that have business incentives.
- If a company has a vested interest this may be better than going through towns. Towns don’t have vested interest.
- Broadband vendors – have them apply for money but not only to benefit vendor (profit) but to get broadband to most communities as possible.
- Specify what carriers we want as vendors from Syracuse would be able to apply. Try to do local.
- Suggest setting up a ‘Universal” broadband.
- Use “Universal Coverage” as a vision (Karen S.).
Seems it would need to be decided on areas to be aimed at getting broadband. If not everyone will come up with different ideas.
Something like this was done in Ireland (Similar concept).
Karen wants IT Committee to write master plan to have County become “Universal Coverage”.
Laura suggests: Devine criteria (universal broadband to communities with greatest need).

May utilize old computers for public for their use to generate more demand on broadband need.
May utilize County website to do more on-line for public – such as register DMV on-line…

Suggest schools – do wireless or other type to do circle around community to get public and businesses.
Concern over funding for schools.
Concern over connection to DANC prior to school hookup to alleviate problem with school funding.
Discussion of getting people to move here: 40 ACRES, A MULE and BROADBAND SERVICE if you move here…..!!!
Need to get this to others that weren’t here today.
Think about it and get back next meeting.

Old Business:
Reactions from discussions with DANC.
What can we ask Danc for? To help get last mile access.
Ask DANC for funding to go with $200K.
Carrie Tuttle discussed Danc’s finances – have staff and resources to offer – not necessarily money.
Pat Turbett suggested Danc making “last mile” cost better for end user.. Carrier spoke of other vendors are
Providers – not Danc. Again, need to try to do Universal Coverage.
Danc’s back bone is there – but no service provider to do the last mile. Why aren’t they doing it??
Slic has done this in Massena.
Discussion on having Danc and providers meet to discuss where we want to go with broadband.
Figure concrete actions to be done.
Laura – hearing privatization….. Bring Bob & Tom (Danc) back to talk.
Carrie – start some working sessions on goals and then if there are questions talk to Bob & Tom (Danc).

Suggestions for IT Committee:
We advise/ County implements on difference projects such as: phone bid, $200K, Danc.
Start having subcommittees on difference subjects: map issue, website, $200k. Not do all these topics at regular meetings, but save this time to set up subcommittees. Carrie to set a project matrix for broadband services.

Next meeting is August 23rd, 2 PM, Public Safety Building Conference Room.

Adjourned approximately 4:25 pm.