It’s been a couple of months since highlights of residential and business municipal network surveys were announced by Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz. Since then, activities have moved ahead steadily and without fanfare.
- The city’s contractor, Design Nine, provided the city with a formal report on the residential and business surveys conducted in the spring. It should be released next week and posted on the city’s broadband study page.
- Mayor Narkewicz has authorized the second phase of the study by Design Nine. The next phase, a feasibility study, estimates the cost to create and maintain a municipal network for the city. This effort has been underway for a few weeks. A draft report of this feasibility study is expected to be sent to the city soon. No final completion date for this study is yet known.
- The mayor has requested that the city’s solicitor develop the language for a municipal light plan (MLP) question for the November ballot. The question will allow voters to approve or reject the creation of a MLP. The city would use a MLP as a vehicle for constructing and maintaining the infrastructure for a municipal broadband service. This question is expected to appear on city ballots in November’s election.
Our coalition also plans to reach out to candidates running for mayor and city council to gauge their support for municipal broadband and to answer any questions or concerns they may have.