Newaygo County Recognized as Certified Connected Community
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
Newaygo County becomes a Connected certified community before County Commissioners, County releases Technology Action Plan
Newaygo County, MI – Today, the Newaygo County Technology Planning Team and Connect Michigan present Newaygo County, Michigan, as a certified Connected community and release its Technology Action Plan before the County Commissioners.
"Broadband Internet is crucial to education and commerce,” shared Jon Schneider, Newaygo City Manager. “Partners across Newaygo County have shown their dedication to raising the bar through their work toward broadband certification with Connect Michigan."
Newaygo County has been working with Connect Michigan on the Connected Community Engagement Program. This initiative assesses the local broadband landscape, identifies connectivity gaps, and establishes technology-driven goals and objectives to increase broadband access, adoption, and use for families, organizations, and businesses throughout the community.
More than 50 communities are engaged in the Connected program throughout the Great Lakes State. Newaygo County joins 15 others that have achieved Connected certification through the program. Broadband adoption rates in Connected certified communities are six percentage points higher than the statewide average and a full fifteen percentage points higher than the national average. Additionally, businesses in communities participating in the Connected program in Michigan have higher rates of website adoption than the state average. More than 1,600 local leaders have been involved in the program throughout the state since its beginning in 2011.
“Not only as individual communities, but for Newaygo County as a whole, local governments need to plan and prepare for Internet-enhanced developments in their jurisdictions,” states Fremont City Manager/Finance Director Todd Blake. Internet has become an essential part of work and leisure for all, and residents are depending on their local government representatives to do everything they can to prepare for it. It is no secret that society, especially young adults, is choosing to live and invest in communities that have high-speed Internet everywhere they go in their everyday lives.”
The City of Newaygo in Newaygo County was featured in a blog by Connect Michigan for its implementation of Facebook to build a community communication network. “With Facebook, the information spread is much faster, it gets to people almost instantaneously,” said Jon Schneider City Manager of Newaygo. Newaygo recently used its Facebook page to warn citizens about a water main break, where reduced pressure in the system posed a health hazard. Read more in the full story here.
“Congratulations to the Newaygo County Technology Planning team and the community,” said Eric Frederick, VP for Community Affairs for Connect Michigan and Connected Nation. “The effort put forth by this group of dedicated people doesn’t stop here. Today’s certification is not the end of the process—it is a milestone. Through projects like performing an analysis of local policies and ordinances to ensure that the local policies are conducive to broadband build-out and others outlined in the Technology Action Plan, Newaygo County is setting itself up for better broadband.”
For questions about the Connected Community Engagement Program in Michigan, please contact info@connectmi.org.
Download the press release.
Newaygo County becomes a Connected certified community before County Commissioners, County releases Technology Action Plan
Newaygo County, MI – Today, the Newaygo County Technology Planning Team and Connect Michigan present Newaygo County, Michigan, as a certified Connected community and release its Technology Action Plan before the County Commissioners.
"Broadband Internet is crucial to education and commerce,” shared Jon Schneider, Newaygo City Manager. “Partners across Newaygo County have shown their dedication to raising the bar through their work toward broadband certification with Connect Michigan."
Newaygo County has been working with Connect Michigan on the Connected Community Engagement Program. This initiative assesses the local broadband landscape, identifies connectivity gaps, and establishes technology-driven goals and objectives to increase broadband access, adoption, and use for families, organizations, and businesses throughout the community.
More than 50 communities are engaged in the Connected program throughout the Great Lakes State. Newaygo County joins 15 others that have achieved Connected certification through the program. Broadband adoption rates in Connected certified communities are six percentage points higher than the statewide average and a full fifteen percentage points higher than the national average. Additionally, businesses in communities participating in the Connected program in Michigan have higher rates of website adoption than the state average. More than 1,600 local leaders have been involved in the program throughout the state since its beginning in 2011.
“Not only as individual communities, but for Newaygo County as a whole, local governments need to plan and prepare for Internet-enhanced developments in their jurisdictions,” states Fremont City Manager/Finance Director Todd Blake. Internet has become an essential part of work and leisure for all, and residents are depending on their local government representatives to do everything they can to prepare for it. It is no secret that society, especially young adults, is choosing to live and invest in communities that have high-speed Internet everywhere they go in their everyday lives.”
The City of Newaygo in Newaygo County was featured in a blog by Connect Michigan for its implementation of Facebook to build a community communication network. “With Facebook, the information spread is much faster, it gets to people almost instantaneously,” said Jon Schneider City Manager of Newaygo. Newaygo recently used its Facebook page to warn citizens about a water main break, where reduced pressure in the system posed a health hazard. Read more in the full story here.
“Congratulations to the Newaygo County Technology Planning team and the community,” said Eric Frederick, VP for Community Affairs for Connect Michigan and Connected Nation. “The effort put forth by this group of dedicated people doesn’t stop here. Today’s certification is not the end of the process—it is a milestone. Through projects like performing an analysis of local policies and ordinances to ensure that the local policies are conducive to broadband build-out and others outlined in the Technology Action Plan, Newaygo County is setting itself up for better broadband.”
For questions about the Connected Community Engagement Program in Michigan, please contact info@connectmi.org.
Download the press release.