2007-06-15

County looks at providing wireless Internet

By LUCILLE HUSTON

SALEM — Columbiana County can become a leader in telecommunications technology, community leaders were told Thursday by Tracey Drake of the Columbiana County Port Authority.

Drake, along with Mark Ansboury of OneCommunity and Paul Allen of B-Telecom, explained the proposed program for the county. “If everything goes as planned, parts of the county will have access to wireless communications by the end of this year,” Drake said. He emphasized the program is still in the planning stages.

Later in the program, it was stated the entire county should have the access by the end of a year.

With the program, Columbiana County could be the first in the state to provide such broad access. It also would be one of only a few such counties in the country.

Drake said the Port Authority is interested in economic development, and this is a tool which will be a big boost in that area.

Drake explained Mahoning and Columbiana County schools joined together in a program known as ACCESS to provide services for all the schools.

After overextending somewhat and having more strands than needed, the Port Authority purchased a portion of the product.

Ansboury said the county could choose between two programs, with one costing $3.5 million and the other $5 million.

Drake and Ansboury will meet next week to complete paper work necessary for grant applications for the project. Both said they expect Homeland Security and Department of Agriculture approval of grants that will fund some $3 million of the $5 million proposal. This is the plan, Drake commented, saying the Authority will fund the remainder of the project, and saying the $5 million option is a better project because it can serve the entire county in a more advanced way.

He also commented that he believes so strongly in what the program will do to advance the county. If grants are not secured, the Port Authority will obtains loans for the project.

He said from one-half to two-thirds of the total cost is expected to be funded through grants.

“People from Ohio want to return to Ohio,” Ansboury stated, saying with this service, they can return to jobs here.

The plan calls for providing wireless communications throughout the county.

Ansboury said the thinking is that villages and cities who bill now for sewer, water and other services could easily bill for the Internet or telecommunications services.

Questioned about townships who do not currently bill, Drake said this is one of the items to be discussed.

Drake emphasized today’s meeting was intended to explain the plan to community leaders, to answer questions and to receive feedback. When asked if anyone did not favor the program, no one responded.

Ansboury said to make the program viable and operative, only 5 percent of the population would need to subscribe to the system.

When asked about a local Internet provider, he said it would be competition, but the firm, instead of competing, could become a partner.

“Partnerships is what it is all about,” he added.

Ansboury presented a chart program explaining the various aspects of the service. He said the program needs to be affordable, not a premium cost. The plan is to make it affordable. “We believe it is, and we will work to bringing it at even a lower cost.”

Currently, a one-time cost to businesses was set in the $149-to-$209 range with a monthly charge. For residential service, a one-time cost of $99-109 was projected with providing basic Internet service for $15.

Ansboury also commented the program is not overwhelming, that 5 percent was not a large number to be required for the program.

The data center being constructed in Leetonia is planned as the center location.

Drake said the first consideration is public safety, and with the program, safety services would be able to communicate rapidly and with each other.

Paul Allen of B-Telcom said the Leetonia location is accessible to outside areas and that is why it was chosen.

Ansboury said the county will be able to attract local and outside resources and to collaborate — to form partnerships to bring the county into the technology age.

The county’s location — between Cleveland and Pittsburgh — also was listed as a plus.

Represented at the meeting were County Commissioners, Butler Township, East Liverpool City Hospital, Salem Community Hospital, Community Action agency, Perry Township, Kent State University, Columbiana County Career and Technical Center, Salem, East Liverpool, Wellsville.

Governor Ted Strickland’s office, Senator Jason Wilson; First National Community Bank, Coumbiana County Clerk of Courts, Columbiana, St. Clair Township, MCTA/One Stop, Land Use Planning Committee and the Columbiana County Development Office.

Dean Jeff Nolte of Kent State East Liverpool, said, “We want to be players. This is really great for our county.”

East Liverpool Mayor James Swoger commented, “East Liverpool used to be the pottery center of the world. We plan to become the education center of the world. We can do it with this service.”

More information was given at the meeting, and Drake and Ansboury both said they will meet with anyone who requests to meet to obtain further information.