Developing a Plan to Connect More Ottawa County Residents, Businesses, Schools
Ottawa County, MI. (June 19, 2017) –The Ottawa County Broadband Committee is partnering with Connected Nation’s Connected Community Engagement Program, (Connectedsm), to come up with a plan to improve access to high-speed internet in the county. The initial step to developing a comprehensive, countywide plan will consist of a short survey for residents, businesses, agriculture producers, healthcare facilities, and schools. This is an effort to reassess the broadband landscape following a decade of work.
“Our Board of Commissioners has actively supported enhanced broadband for our residents and businesses for the last 10 years,” Paul Sachs, Director of Planning and Performance Improvement for Ottawa County, said. “We’ve had successes with expanding broadband into previously underserved areas through collaborative public-private partnerships, but we know there are still areas of need in the county. We hope that participating in this targeted work with Connected Nation’s local office, Connect Michigan, will provide us with a better understanding of where these remaining areas are situated so that we can continue developing creative partnerships to meet these broadband needs.”
Participation in the online survey (http://connectmycommunity.org/ottawa-county/) will help the committee better understand the status of high-speed internet in Ottawa County. After a structured evaluation, the Ottawa County Broadband Committee and Connected staff will develop a Technology Action Plan focused on effectively and efficiently improving Ottawa County’s broadband environment.
“Getting everyone’s input—from parents to educators to businesses to the agricultural community—is key in helping us develop a Technology Action Plan that meets the unique needs of Ottawa County,” Dan Manning, Community Technology Advisor for Connected Nation, said. “The more input we get, the better we can identify ways to create access, adoption, and use of broadband for everyone in Ottawa County.”
“Our Board of Commissioners has actively supported enhanced broadband for our residents and businesses for the last 10 years,” Paul Sachs, Director of Planning and Performance Improvement for Ottawa County, said. “We’ve had successes with expanding broadband into previously underserved areas through collaborative public-private partnerships, but we know there are still areas of need in the county. We hope that participating in this targeted work with Connected Nation’s local office, Connect Michigan, will provide us with a better understanding of where these remaining areas are situated so that we can continue developing creative partnerships to meet these broadband needs.”
Participation in the online survey (http://connectmycommunity.org/ottawa-county/) will help the committee better understand the status of high-speed internet in Ottawa County. After a structured evaluation, the Ottawa County Broadband Committee and Connected staff will develop a Technology Action Plan focused on effectively and efficiently improving Ottawa County’s broadband environment.
“Getting everyone’s input—from parents to educators to businesses to the agricultural community—is key in helping us develop a Technology Action Plan that meets the unique needs of Ottawa County,” Dan Manning, Community Technology Advisor for Connected Nation, said. “The more input we get, the better we can identify ways to create access, adoption, and use of broadband for everyone in Ottawa County.”