The Chisago County Press took a look back at all that has happened in the county related to technology – that includes their Blandin Broadband Communities standing and the ABC (America’s Best Communities) challenges…
A working group made up of Chisago County citizens and economic development officials was successful in 2015– landing about $30,000 in grants to do a variety of Internet enhancements. And, as of the end of this week, the group will have met a deadline for submitting five more technology related funding requests.
The local efforts place the county in good position among Minnesota communities working on a shared vision for a broadband network and enhanced technology opportunity for small business. The Blandin Broadband Committee came along at a good time as well, for the ABC or America’s Best Communities effort. The ABC competition consists of numerous Chisago Lakes’ area boosters and chamber officials who found like-minded individuals in the Broadband committee.
Their efforts results in some fun technology projects…
Meanwhile, the BBC’s early funding grants allowed for school activity bus Wi-Fi service, a computer equipment distribution for low income residents through PCs for People, and a county broadband service survey.
And they have some fun projects in the hopper…
The new set of grants the BBC group is applying for have a 25 percent match. The main items that the group hopes to get funding for are teleconferencing capabilities in North Branch and Lindstrom. Equipment may be portable, the final configuration is flexible still. …
Additional funding the local group also seeks through Blandin Foundation includes: equipping Wi-Fi hotspots throughout the county, providing assistance to business persons who need a presence on Google mapping, beefing up marketing Old Hwy 61 on the web, creating a tourism and culture website for Chisago Lakes and the two sites for tele-conference capability.
The work group also continues to cooperate with company representatives and providers. In a related technology-based program, Eutectics is cooperating with the Chisago Lakes Chamber of Commerce on a clean energy “hub.” The hub will be the one-stop-shop for public and private financing tools towards implementing clean energy projects.