The MN Office of Broadband Development is hosting talks about Minnesota’s Digital Opportunity Planning Process. It’s an opportunity for folks to learn more and/or chime in with their view of the Draft Digital Opportunity Plan.

Today was the meeting in West St Paul. There were ten attendees in the meeting and four others who work for DEED or Dakota Library. Attendees include representatives from NTIA, Frontier, OurTech, Reconnect Rondo, community, Ramsey County Digital Equity, Two from Neighborhood House, a community couple and me.

An introduction from Dakota County Librarian – to a crowd of mostly not-Dakota residents.

• 11 percent of Dakota County does not have easy home broadband. Almost 20 percent does not have easy access if you remove smartphones as an option. At the library, we offer people access to computers and broadband.
• We are piloting self service hours that allows patrons to access library technology (in the building) during off hours in Farmington. The pilot has been going well. We hoped for 100 users; we have 465 users so far.
• Information knowledge is also important so we offer a range of technology classes. We do information literacy, online marketing as well as one-on-one help for folks who need it.
• We have wifi in public parks and buildings.

Hannah Buckland, Digital Equity Program Lead, introduced the opportunity that the Draft Digital Opportunity Plan addresses. The slide projector isn’t working but I will post images from the PowerPoint below:

Questions about the overview/background:

Can we apply for Digital Equity competitive or capacity grants?
You can apply for both if you help folks use broadband.
Infrastructure will be completely different than Digital Equity funds. It is likely that infrastructure funding will go through the Border to Border grant process or other process created for the Office of Broadband Development.

Questions about the current situation:

Do you track folks who don’t have a computer, tablet, laptop or smartphone?
No

How does the State of MN handle this info? DO we need for everyone to want to have technology?
There should be choice – we’re just trying to get into the idea of choice.
We want to remove every barrier but not dictate use.

Questions about the draft digital opportunity plan:

Can you include infrastructure?
No

Can you suggest policy changes?
No

Can the Digital Community Groups make recommendations?
Yes. And the Broadband Task Force can do that too.

When will we have this money?
Sometimes in 2024, probably by July 1

When we distribute devices, we recognize that there is an ongoing cost involved with security?
Maybe we need to think about how to incorporate something like that.
People who drive a car need to get insurance; maybe people with computers need to be responsible for getting security for their computers.

How many state agencies are there? How many are looking at e-government?
25-26 state agencies.

Comments/questions from people doing digital equity work:

• I worked in a career lab, I think more effort could go to the people who are working with the people to get better tech skills.
• I see that there may be funding for “pilot digital navigator services” will you also continue programs that have already started? How can we institutionalize digital navigation training?
• We need better support for our jobs.
• We should have more opportunities for women-, vet- and minority-owned businesses.

The open comment period is open.