Broadband Advisory Committee
St. George Community Development Corporation
01/10/18 7:00 PM
Attendance:
Van Thompson, Susan Bates, John Maltais, John McIIwain, John Knuerr, Alane Kennedy, Jeff Boulet
Before this meeting, John Maltais sent a draft of technical items to be used for the assessment process.
Additionally, Susan Bates provided a draft of the intake assessment form that will be edited by committee members.
Also created by Susan Bates since the last meeting was an announcement regarding the Broadband Advisory Committee’s plan that went out in the CDC newsletter.
This was John McIlwain’s first time joining the Broadband Community Advisory Group and we did a quick review of how we came to be where we are now in the process.
A discussion began about the intake form that Susan created. It was determined that the form Susan created and Jeff added to, would be the intake form used by the intake person during initial contact. Alane suggested adding Name/contact information to the top of the form for use during initial contact. It was decided that after intake, data entry of information into a shared google spreadsheet and scanning of the form that would then be forwarded to the home visit volunteer technicians for assignment and visitation schedule.
Question about the process: Alane will create an online form that captures the information during assessments the form will be editable by the volunteer home technicians to add information they gather after the home visit.
The committee agreed to collect household information (number of persons in a household, the age of residents) for statistical/grant purposes.
John McIlwain asks if a question about wifi should be used on the form. John Maltais explained that this is something that can be addressed during the home visit or if it happens to come up during intake, the data will be gathered.
Each member of the meeting suggested positive changes for the form that will be updated by committee members via a shared document that is linked above.
Library hotspots are up and working and can be checked out from the library so this is a viable option for residents to test out in their own homes.
What is the agenda? We aren’t sure, but we are ready to discuss next steps.
Poster discussion and Alane asked for ideas on what the poster should say.
Home Internet Help. Have access? Campaign Title semi-official: Got Internet?
Jeff Boulet offered to handle the creation of the rack card which will be spread more widely and only a few posters will be generated for display in common areas. This is for completion by January 23rd. Rack cards will then be ordered and distribution will begin.
The number of rack cards will be large…Alane will come up with an appropriate number and go from there.
Distribution/communication. It was agreed that this effort will only be successful if we can extend a very broad net in the community. Utilizing a pre-existing list and then extending by each committee members own connections in the community, we hope to get a pretty broad range. Alane will provide a checklist/list of different organizations and groups within the community that committee members can volunteer to meet within February for a short talk about our efforts, with rack cards for distribution in hand.
Susan Bates will be creating a press release for the Dragon, town newsletter, etc describing what we are doing and why we are doing it and to ask for people to welcome us into their homes and help us gather this information. Article to be completed by February 5th.
We decided to update/refresh our posters and campaign every 6 weeks.
Alane mentioned the CDCs group non-profit mailer that is being planned for the spring. This mailer would reach every postal box in St. George. The Got Internet Campaign can be included in this mailer.
Should the home-tech neighbors have a list of available internet providers for callers? The home visiting tech neighbor people (ha!) will have a meeting prior to the February distribution of rack cards and meetings to create their own information packets to have consistency when visiting homes and with details on information that the group would like to collect. Home volunteers include: Van Thompson, John Maltais, Jeff Boulet, Alane Kennedy
Discussion if we are interfering with anyone else’s business locally. Michael Wardman and Hugo were discussed. Should we ask them if they would like to volunteer for the diagnostic team? We agreed to refer homeowners with deep technical issues to seek out these two local businesses. Alane will send an email to Michael Wardman. And Jeff will contact Jean Hewitt to get contact information for Hugo. UPDATE: Emails were sent to Warman and Hugo on 1/10/18 to explain the committee’s mission and to gather their input, reactions, etc.
Alane reviewed the project management questions. The timeline was set for the first milestone of 9/1/17. This means that we will conduct home visits, etc until September 1st. At which time we will determine if we have reached our goal of better understanding what the internet service is like in St. George and what real needs our community has for the internet.