Here’s the latest from Monticello…
On July 28, the City Council approved to accept the bids and award the contract for the Fiber Loop project. This fiber build includes construction of 11.19 miles of fiber optics that is an important subset of the larger FiberNet Monticello project. The Fiber Loop will connect important commercial, industrial and civic facilities thereby allowing commercial and industrial users to have access to high-speed fiber optics for data only services via 100% fiber optics.
This contributes toward the achievement of economic development goals. This fiber loop will also connect City Hall, Community Center and Public Works facilities to improve communication/data speeds and reduce Internet access expenses. The service provided at this time would include high-speed data only (with no telephone or cable TV.) This projects includes the ability to connect up to 200 businesses that it will pass along the fiber route, which includes the Monticello downtown area and most of the industrial parks.
Construction is anticipated to commence on September 2, 2008 with a completion date on or before November 29, 2008. However, final completion will depend on the head-end building construction schedule which is proposed to be completed by December 12, 2008.
City Staff and the Fiber Optics Committee recommended moving forward on accomplishing the City’s goals of enhancing economic development and providing choice through development of this Fiber Loop. The project is projected to be financially self-supporting and can be integrated into the FiberNet Monticello system both financially and physically once it is constructed.
The presence of this fiber network will assure choice and thus result in optimum ability to provide critical data transfer service to Monticello City businesses at a reasonable cost. Such a setting is important to achieving important economic development goals which include:
– Competitive rates and choice for services
– Local business expansion and retention
– Relocation of businesses to Monticello
– Job creation with liveable wages
FiberNet Monticello Q & A:
Now that TDS appears to be building its own fiber optic network, will the city continue to construct one of its own?
The only way for the city to be sure that its citizens and businesses will receive the type of fiber network and service that has been envisioned by FiberNet Monticello for the past three years is to build it ourselves. We cannot rely on any company to be sure it is done with competitive pricing and exceptional customer service. The referendum vote indicated approval from the citizens who wanted a choice for services and the city will continue to build its own fiber network to provide a choice.
How can the city claim that an overwhelming majority of the voters voted to approve the project when only 17% of city residents eligible to vote cast a ballot?
What the city said was that the overwhelming majority of the voters supported the project. This description is accurate. 74% of the people who cared enough about the project one way or the other to voice their opinion voted yes. In the September 2007 referendum vote, 18% of registered voters voted in favor of the fiber project while 5% of registered voters voted against the project. This 23% turnout is not unusual for a non-presidential election and is higher than average for a special election with only one question on the ballot.
Why is the city dipping into reserve funds to start the project when they promised that taxpayer dollars would not be used?
The city’s commitment to avoid the use of taxpayer dollars did not anticipate an 11th hour lawsuit by TDS that made the proceeds from the revenue bonds unavailable by freezing the money at a critical time when construction was ready to begin. The city moved forward with the smaller fiber loop build to begin this year in order to protect the project from increased costs that will inevitably arise if construction continues to be delayed by the TDS litigation. It is anticipated that the cost of this initial fiber build will be fully reimbursable from the bonds the City has already sold and has put into escrow due to the lawsuit.
How can the city justify spending large sums of money hiring consultants from the telecommunications industry before initiating a project designed not to use taxpayer dollars?
In order to obtain investor financing for the project the City first had to research and study the feasibility of the project. This required an analysis of the soundness of the FiberNet Monticello business plan before financing could be secured. The City does this same sort of due diligence and gets expert advice for any expensive project it contemplates. The existing City staff and consultants did not have the expertise required and so the Council hired the best experts and consultants that could be found through an open RFP process.
________________________________________________________________
TDS Telecom requests City of Monticello to consider granting property easements
Over the past few years, the City has acquired an assortment of key properties in the original business district. These properties are intended to be used for parking or combined with neighboring properties in becoming development sites in the future. TDS Telcom recently requested that the Monticello City Council consider granting property easements to TDS that would enable utilities to be extended across these properties. In response to this request, the Council considered the matter and denied the request based on the following reasons:
– Over time it is likely that there will be a need to combine or assemble parcels in a fashion that supports redevelopment.
– The presence of private utility easements could interfere with the ability to assemble development sites as easements would need to be vacated before adjacent parcels could be assembled. Also adding to the cost would be the physical expense of relocating the utility line at the time of redevelopment.
Finally, as with every parcel in the downtown area, denial of the request does not leave TDS without options as there is ample room for utility lines in the right of way located along the outside perimeter of each block.
As a resident, if you have questions about your city residential property right of way or easement areas and need clarification, call Monticello City Hall, 763-295-2711.
________________________________________________________________
Local cable TV programming with community access is on its way with FiberNet Monticello
You can get involved with the advantages of local access for community TV channels that will be offered through FiberNet Monticello. Because this will be a public owned and locally operated business, citizens can get involved with community access television (CAT). This provides a way for community based members of the fiber network to participate in ownership of programming.
The opportunities exist for residents and community members to create and develop their own TV programs to be broadcast over the FiberNet Monticello TV channels for public access.
Community generated, local programs could include the following:
• Sport league games for youth & adult (baseball, soccer, hockey, etc.)
• Community arts events (school plays, music concerts, talent shows)
• Gardening • Cooking • Pet Advice • Automotive/Home Repair
• Church Services broadcast for shut ins
• Better access to local government meetings and information
• Distribution of community calendar of events
• Educational shows by organizations – and much more!
Do you have ideas for local community programs? Are you interested in getting involved in the process to develop these ideas to build momentum for this volunteer group to get started? This process will take a few years to develop itself but now is the time to get busy and to begin the planning for the work ahead.
For more information call: 763-271-3230 or send an email to: LocalCableTV@MonticelloFiber.com
Do you have comments about FiberNet Monticello? Please contact us!
FiberNet Monticello
High Speed Internet, Telephone & Cable TV
Community Owned & Locally Operated
Visit our website for the latest news and updates: http://www.MonticelloFiber.com