Title
a. Receive a broadband status report from the Chief Information Officer;
b. Receive and Accept the Monterey County Broadband Strategic Plan; and
c. Receive a broadband strategic plan presentation by MMKelly Consulting on behalf of TeleworX, LLC.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Receive a broadband status report from the Chief Information Officer;
b. Receive and Accept the Monterey County Broadband Strategic Plan; and
c. Receive a broadband strategic plan presentation by MMKelly Consulting on behalf of TeleworX, LLC.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
The presentation will be divided into two parts, covering the following aspects:
1) A broadband update that outlines the current status of projects funded by the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), progress on the Local Area Technical Assistance (LATA) grant, and details on Federal Funding Account applications submitted by various entities, including the Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) affiliate, Golden State Finance Authority (GSFA).
2) The second part of the presentation will focus on the Broadband Strategic Plan, presented by MMKelly Consulting on behalf of TeleworX, LLC. The board previously approved a letter on June 8, 2021, endorsing the grant application submitted by RCRC affiliate GSFA to the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Representative. This grant application sought funding for the development of a Broadband Strategic Plan, which spanned multiple counties, including the County of Monterey.
In addition, the board also approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the County of Monterey and GSFA, delineating the roles and responsibilities of each agency in seeking grant funding to augment the costs and the participation required for the development of the Broadband Strategic Plan for the County of Monterey. The county committed a $25,000 match required for county participation in the strategic planning. In September 2022, the grant was awarded, leading to the release of an RFP by RCRC for consulting services to formulate the broadband strategic plan. By February 2023, TeleworX, LLC was selected as the consultant and contracted with GSCA. The presentation by MMKelly on behalf of TeleworX, LLC provides an overview of the proposed plan.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Designees from Information Technology, Department of Social Services, Monterey County Free Libraries, Health Department, Housing and Community Development, Public Works, Facilities, and Parks, County Administration, Monterey County Office of Education, Hartnell College, Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce, Monterey Bay Economic Partnership, Cities of Gonzales, Soledad, Greenfield, Salinas, Marina, and King City were included and given opportunities to provide input in the development of the strategic plan.
FINANCING:
The $25,000 required for Monterey County participation and MOU was addressed and paid in FY 2022-23.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
The collaborative efforts and partnerships aimed at enhancing broadband access are poised to bridge the digital divide across Monterey County. The broadband strategic plan serves as the cornerstone, laying the groundwork for the investment and implementation of broadband infrastructure. This initiative will furnish essential information for local elected officials, empowering them to formulate policies that foster investment. Furthermore, the broadband strategy is instrumental in enabling communities to capitalize on funding opportunities that either mandate or strongly recommend the existence of a well-defined plan.
X Economic Development
__Administration
X Health & Human Services
X Infrastructure
__Public Safety
Prepared by: Sarah House, IT Manager, 759-6992
Approved by:
___________________________ Date: ________________
Eric A. Chatham, Chief Information Officer, 759-6920
Attachments:
Broadband Update Presentation
Broadband Strategic Plan Presentation
RCRC Broadband Strategic Plan