CIT Kick Off Broadband Meeting March 8th, 2013
Introductions
Agenda Review (Agenda Provided by CIT)
Project Goals
 Enhanced educational opportunities
 Improved Public Safety Communication services
Challenges: First responders who don’t have connectivity to the PSB building using standard
radio and cellular connection is not reliable.
CIT Suggestion: Additional Vertical Assets
 Economic Development Opportunities
 Improved quality of life
o Healthcare access
CIT stated Frederick County needed to designate a “Champion” who must be plugged into the
community to garner support. Frederick County Broadband Management team did not agree
that it should designate one person to be the Champion but instead suggested that the Team as
a whole break up the deliverables and assign tasks to staff (i.e. writing letters to Broadband
Partners requesting support of the survey).
Project Scope/Review Needs assessment – what is the current state of broadband in Frederick
County and considering what’s in the immediate future? (What do other communities such as
the City of Winchester and Winchester Public Schools have in their Strategic Plans). This will
help us determine if the current state of broadband meets those needs.
1. Broadband Education Development Strategies and End User Application
Identification
2. Last Mile Connectivity – CIT will provide a GIS based Preliminary Engineering Design
and Cost Estimates
3. Organization and Network Operation Options – recommendations for broadband
expansion and deployment. Opportunities for public partnership. CIT believed the
best broadband solution is fixed wireless.
Funding Strategies for Future Implementation Projects
CIT Needs: Reinvigorate Survey (Additional Date/Responses) and GIS data
1. Current telecom expenditures
2. Include address of F&R stations
3. Current or Future Communications Projects (VoIP)
4. Strategic Plans in place or a contact for Community Anchors to determine future
bandwidth due by early June.
Public Meetings in June – who needs to be there? (Chamber of Commerce, local) Who is
required? Who would we like to be there – Federal contacts by CIT. After meeting needs to be
a sit down for feedback and to make adjustments accordingly. One of the meetings needs to be
online to show broadband capabilities.
After disconnecting with CIT, it was agreed that we would reach out to other potential partners.
Staff needs to follow up and make sure Sherriff and F&R are included in future
meetings/discussions