10-23-07 Meeting Minutes

St. Lawrence County IT Advisory Committee

Meeting Minutes
October 23, 2007 (Tuesday) 2:00 PM


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

Review/Accept Minutes from 9/27/07 Meeting: Yes. No changes.

Presentation:

A. Andy McAdoo, Nicholville Telephone Company.
- Brought different maps showing Time Warner, Danc, Verizon, etc.
- Current approach to public investment is not based on research or data.
The goal – build a financially viable fibre optic network.
The plan – reduce cost of transport to major POPs in Syracuse.
encourage fibre connection to large customers
encourage private investment
The result – very little has been changed.
- How could anyone be apposed to investing $2M to serve industrial parks in SLC?
No research
Overbuilding existing infrastructure.
Cream-skimming is inherently anti-competitive.
Leakage of service revenue out of County (ref. Danc)

Relevant Questions:
Which areas are underserved?
How much is Danc project costing SCL & taxpayers?
Is service revenue earned in SLC being re-invested in SLC?
Has it impacted job creation?


B. DANC:
Key thing to remember “open access”.
End user creates economic development.

Tom Sauter:
- The Danc Network supports carriers: Nicholville Tele Co., TDS, Premier Wireless, Westelcom, etc.
- Proposal Danc has put forward to Economic Development.
Proposing to build fibre off their backbone to extend footprint closer to end customers (Industrial Park).
- Not in all cases in a single provider able to do connection to industrial parks or commercial…

Questions as asked:
Yes – conversations with former County Administrator.
As need arose – they would extend into those parks.
No – they haven’t been made aware of them (IT Committee should’ve been made aware).
Public investments will pre-emt private investments.
You have to serve industrial parks and commercial as that is where the jobs are… and economic development. Think of this as creating job opportunities.. for the end user to decide what to use.
Corporation Centers. This is infrastructure.
This has to be a team effort. Committeed to working with County, IDA, Towns, etc. Mutual commitment of services.
Same as 7.
Same as 7.


Who is providing services to providers – end users??


Discussion on revenue coming to Danc directly from schools.

Dark fibre was a concept of Danc and it went away because of discussions – do lit circuitry because of that.
Question on what is a service provider – BOCES? Yes. Hospitals & County??

Danc has $2M to invest in industrial park – have no info on what those industrial parks have for service.

Does Danc provide service to end providers? No (Danc). What does Danc offer to hospitals? Nothing (commented).

Discussion on broadband to all citizens…
Andy discussed how our Economic Development monies are being spent. Phil (hospital) ask why Time Warner and Verizon aren’t here.

Study underway by Danc: Part of an ongoing network plan process – consultant to review layout of network and to look at options to serve communities. Industrial consultant….to start. Loot at mini POPs.

“This needs to be a partnership” (Danc)

Laura – areas without service need to be served….
Turbett – See big economic development is in small businesses… would like to see 100’s of jobs created. Need to get broadband to
outlaying areas…. Don’t move service to areas that already has it…. Serving the population and people.

Bob (Danc) Will work as team – be at meetings.
Goals to be – small businesses, universal broadband, service industrial parks.
Money from Economic Development Authority

Ray F – Is broadband available, redundant, reasonably priced, work?

Bob (Danc) Danc is to judge by end user and how many jobs are created…
Andy (NTC) Have info on this?

EDA states what to do with money.
- 3 Counties will be asked for resolution of support.
- EDA will only do certain things.

Laura – we need to know this is to benefit County.
Danc is not taxpayer funded – other than grants…

Carrie (Danc) Discussion on what IT Committee strategies (Plan) are and where we are going….

Adjourned.

Meeting Agenda 11_15_07

St. Lawrence County
Information Technology Advisory Committee
Meeting Agenda
11/15/07, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
2nd Floor Conference Room, Public Safety Building, Court St., Canton

Welcome New Committee Members & Meeting Attendees

Review/accept minutes from 10/23/07 meeting.

Project Reports:
SLC IT Work Plan –Review status & updates
1. Develop Strategic Plan for Universal Broadband Coverage
2. Develop Plan for awarding $200k Broadband Grant
3. Create Broadband Access Map to Establish Baseline & Target Areas
Report on status of garnering info from random addresses
Report on Survey of SLC Residents for availability of telecom services (Laura)
4. Explore other Grant Funding for Broadband Initiatives (RD Grant)
5. Assist County Website Committee with Re-Design
6. Assist County Telephone System Committee
7. Evaluate Webcasting for County Meetings

Old Business:
· Reactions from discussions at the 10/23 meeting. Next steps.


New Business:
· Future meeting presentations?
· 2008 meeting times/dates/structure

Questions & Discussion

Action Items for Next Meeting

Next Meeting: Date, Time, Location TBA