By David Fleet
Editor
Atlas Twp. — For millions of people nationwide, having access to reliable high-speed internet is just not a reality. The day-to-day tasks—such as learning and working—relying on broadband access is a necessity.
In February, the township created by board voted for a Citizen’s Advisory Committee for High Speed Access. The scope of the committee will be to take a grass-roots approach to not only bring internet access to all areas of the township and Village of Goodrich but make it reliable and strong.
At 6 p.m., March 28, at the Atlas Township Hall, 7386 Gale Road will be the first meeting. The community is invited. The township has been in contact with Connected Nation, a nonprofit organization that develops and implements strategies to close digital equity gaps and improve digital skills in communities across the United States.
“The State of Michigan is very positive that citizen involvement really helps move things along with different service providers,” said Shirley Kautman-Jones, township supervisor. “Anyone in the Village of Goodrich or township that is undeserved, not served well or questions related should attend.”
Kautman-Jones is confident, the grass roots efforts tend to be more recognized since there’s strength in numbers. There are lobbyists in Lansing that, from the citizen level, will be able to overcome some of the strongholds elected officials may have, she said.
A broadband township-wide survey will be forthcoming that will provide administrators on coverage areas, costs and reliability.
In the 1980s Davison Cable-Vision then through mergers it’s Charter. They came to the densely populated areas, like M-15 and the core of Goodrich, she said.
“They went where the growth was at,” said Kautman-Jones. “There are solutions out there, we just need to know how to get there.”
A current broadband coverage map for Atlas Township, based on the Broadband Infrastructure Audit that was performed last year and the “new” address-level map from the FCC is forthcoming.
Part of that change could come from Charter Internet who is seeking a Robin grant for the township.
ROBIN is a high-speed internet last mile and middle mile infrastructure competitive grant program with $238 million in project funds from the US Treasury as part of the Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund. The fund is for the public-private partnerships for the expansion of broadband infrastructure to unversed areas.
“Consider that during COVID many of the area students had to drive into town and park as close to the library as they could to get a connection for school,” she said. “Just to do school work.”
ROBIN is a high-speed internet last mile and middle mile infrastructure competitive grant program with $238M in project funds from the US Treasury as part of the Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund. ROBIN provides funds to internet service providers and public-private partnerships for the expansion of broadband infrastructure to unserved areas.