County hears update on broadband Internet services

   Highland County Commissioners Tom Horst, Shane Wilkin and Gary Heaton met with Randy Drewyor of Horizon Communications this week for a review of

southern Ohio broadband services.

   Horizon was recently awarded $66.4 million to extend broadband networking in 34 Ohio counties, including Highland.

       Drewyor presented a news release from Horizon's Chillicothe office that stated "Federal funding for a new fiber optic broadband network

connecting Ohio’s Appalachian counties has been awarded to Chillicothe-based Horizon Telcom. This $66.4 million Broadband Technologies Opportunity

Program (BTOP) stimulus grant, awarded by the National Telecommunications Infrastructure Administration (NTIA), will fund 70 percent of the $94.9 million project,

with Horizon providing the remaining 30 percent.

   "The project, designated the Connecting Appalachian Ohio Middle Mile Consortium (CAOMMC), will provide high-capacity broadband services with

speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second over a 1,960-mile network to approximately 600 regional community anchor institutions, including 212

health-care facilities, 25 community colleges, 15 universities, 231 K-12 schools, 34 county public safety answering points, 32 MARCS towers and 34

industrial parks."

   Drewyor explained that currently, more than 80 percent of these facilities lack fiber- based broadband access and/or the necessary minimum

speeds to match their Internet needs.

   One Highland County broadband hub location under consideration is the Leesburg Industrial Park. Heaton asked if the area between U.S. 62 and S.R.

73 on Hillsboro's north side might be a consideration.

   "If we go to a new area, we'd like to have an anchor tenant," Drewyor said. 

       Other areas to be developed include the Bright Local Elementary School near Sugar Tree Ridge and the  Lynchburg-Clay Board of Education office.

   Drewyor said he was "guessing" it would be about a year before they begin these upgrades.

   State Route 247 is the north to south corridor for construction, with Adams County to be the last part of that project, Drewyor said.

   When Heaton asked about the possibility of residential broadband service in the rural areas, Horizon's Marty Ford said, "We haven't delved into the residential customers at this time. We're not opposed to it, but we're looking to partnership with business first."

   The cost per mile and the distance between rural residents may prove cost-prohibitive for providing rural broadband access, Ford said.

   The plan is to connect the Hillsboro sites by mid-November. Greenfield expansion is also under consideration.

   In the Horizon news release, Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland said: “I believe that improving access to high-speed Internet for Ohio’s Appalachian counties will better link our residents and businesses to the global economy and, by doing so, promote economic growth right here at home. This award moves Ohio another important step toward realizing our goal of ensuring every region of the state has Internet connectivity.”

   The counties included in the CAOMMC include: Adams, Athens, Belmont, Brown, Carroll, Clermont, Columbiana, Coshocton, Fairfield, Fayette, Gallia,

Guernsey, Harrison, Highland, Hocking, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Knox, Lawrence, Licking, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Pickaway, Pike, Ross, Scioto, Tuscarawas, Vinton and Washington.

***

   • In other action, the Ohio Office of Housing and Community Partnerships (OHCP) congratulated Highland County on the successful completion of the FY

2007 CHIP grant. All projected outcomes were either met or exceeded, OHCP said. 

   "This is commendable, as it shows that the administrator has made great efforts to stretch the CHIP dollars as much as possible to assist a larger number of low- to moderate-income households in Highland County. Set-up and organization of the client files was very good. All files reviewed were found to be in good order and contained all required documentation. The rehabilitation and repair work

reviewed during the monitoring visit appeared to be of good quality.

"Homeowners present during the inspections were complimentary of the rehabilitation specialist, the contractors, and the CHIP in general."

   Heaton praised the efforts of Highland County Community Action Director Julia Perie and her staff.

   "Julia is our main coordinator," Heaton said. "She does a fantastic job out there."

   "She and her staff are very good," Horst said. "She's built a great staff, including Jim Matticks."

• Commissioners also sent a letter of support to Greenfield City Manager Betty Bishop for funds to improve the Greenfield rail line.

   The letter reads:

   "(Commissioners) strongly support the efforts of the City of Greenfield to obtain Tiger II Discretionary Grant Funds to improve the Greenfield Rail Line. In a time of economic uncertainty and record unemployment, it is imperative to preserve existing businesses (Candle-lite and Huhtamaki) and encourage new business or the return of former business (Johnson Controls) to facilitate a return to prosperity in Highland County.

   "Improvements to the rail line will provide continued service to existing business, improve flooding and erosion problems along the  line, improve safety issues, and help to create and retain jobs. We applaud the efforts of Greenfield to secure the future of the Greenfield Rail Line."

RESOLUTIONS

   In other action, the commissioners passed the following resolutions, all by 3-0 votes:

   • The authorization of a modification to the Family & Children First Council budget as follows: from Non-Behavioral GRF, in the amount of $2,500 and from Grant, in the amount of $1,000, to FAST, in the amount of $3,500.

   • The authorization of additional appropriation to the Help Me Grow budget, from Unappropriated Funds to Help Me Grow, in the amount of $69,396.95. The additional appropriation results from the Ohio Department of Health FY11 budget, which began on July 1, 2010, providing more funds than expected at the time the County budget was approved for 2010.  Total 2010 estimated revenue is $311,825.80.

   • The authorization of a new fund with revenue and expenditure accounts to be known as VRP-3 Fund and Expenditure Account, Other Expense. No appropriation is needed until funds are received from participating counties.

   • The authorization of a modification to the Board of MRDD Reserve Balance Account and a transfer and appropriation to the Board of Mental

Retardation budget as follows: a modification from Reserve Balance Account, Advances Out, to Reserve Balance Account, Transfers Out, in the amount of

$40,000; and transfer from Reserve Balance Account, Transfers Out, to Board of Mental Retardation, Contract Services in the amount of $40,000.

   Highland County Commissioners Tom Horst, Shane Wilkin and Gary Heaton met with Randy Drewyor of Horizon Communications this week for a review of southern Ohio broadband services.

   Horizon was recently awarded $66.4 million to extend broadband networking in 34 Ohio counties, including Highland.

       Drewyor presented a news release from Horizon's Chillicothe office that stated "Federal funding for a new fiber optic broadband network connecting Ohio’s Appalachian counties has been awarded to Chillicothe-based Horizon Telcom. This $66.4 million Broadband Technologies Opportunity Program (BTOP) stimulus grant, awarded by the National Telecommunications Infrastructure Administration (NTIA), will fund 70 percent of the $94.9 million project, with Horizon providing the remaining 30 percent.

   "The project, designated the Connecting Appalachian Ohio Middle Mile Consortium (CAOMMC), will provide high-capacity broadband services with speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second over a 1,960-mile network to approximately 600 regional community anchor institutions, including 212 health-care facilities, 25 community colleges, 15 universities, 231 K-12 schools, 34 county public safety answering points, 32 MARCS towers and 34 industrial parks."

   Drewyor explained that currently, more than 80 percent of these facilities lack fiber- based broadband access and/or the necessary minimum speeds to match their Internet needs.

   One Highland County broadband hub location under consideration is the Leesburg Industrial Park. Heaton asked if the area between U.S. 62 and S.R. 73 on Hillsboro's north side might be a consideration.

   "If we go to a new area, we'd like to have an anchor tenant," Drewyor said. 

       Other areas to be developed include the Bright Local Elementary School near Sugar Tree Ridge and the  Lynchburg-Clay Board of Education office.

   Drewyor said he was "guessing" it would be about a year before they begin these upgrades.

   State Route 247 is the north to south corridor for construction, with Adams County to be the last part of that project, Drewyor said.

   When Heaton asked about the possibility of residential broadband service in the rural areas, Horizon's Marty Ford said, "We haven't delved into the residential customers at this time. We're not opposed to it, but we're looking to partnership with business first."

   The cost per mile and the distance between rural residents may prove cost-prohibitive for providing rural broadband access, Ford said.

   The plan is to connect the Hillsboro sites by mid-November. Greenfield expansion is also under consideration.

   In the Horizon news release, Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland said: “I believe that improving access to high-speed Internet for Ohio’s Appalachian counties will better link our residents and businesses to the global economy and, by doing so, promote economic growth right here at home. This award moves Ohio another important step toward realizing our goal of ensuring every region of the state has Internet connectivity.”

   The counties included in the CAOMMC include: Adams, Athens, Belmont, Brown, Carroll, Clermont, Columbiana, Coshocton, Fairfield, Fayette, Gallia, Guernsey, Harrison, Highland, Hocking, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Knox, Lawrence, Licking, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Pickaway, Pike, Ross, Scioto, Tuscarawas, Vinton and Washington.

***

   • In other action, the Ohio Office of Housing and Community Partnerships (OHCP) congratulated Highland County on the successful completion of the FY 2007 CHIP grant. All projected outcomes were either met or exceeded, OHCP said. 

   "This is commendable, as it shows that the administrator has made great efforts to stretch the CHIP dollars as much as possible to assist a larger number of low- to moderate-income households in Highland County. Set-up and organization of the client files was very good. All files reviewed were found to be in good order and contained all required documentation. The rehabilitation and repair work reviewed during the monitoring visit appeared to be of good quality.

"Homeowners present during the inspections were complimentary of the rehabilitation specialist, the contractors, and the CHIP in general."

   Heaton praised the efforts of Highland County Community Action Director Julia Wise and her staff.

   "Julia is our main coordinator," Heaton said. "She does a fantastic job out there."

   "She and her staff are very good," Horst said. "She's built a great staff, including Jim Matticks."

• Commissioners also sent a letter of support to Greenfield City Manager Betty Bishop for funds to improve the Greenfield rail line.

   The letter reads:

   "(Commissioners) strongly support the efforts of the City of Greenfield to obtain Tiger II Discretionary Grant Funds to improve the Greenfield Rail Line. In a time of economic uncertainty and record unemployment, it is imperative to preserve existing businesses (Candle-lite and Huhtamaki) and encourage new business or the return of former business (Johnson Controls) to facilitate a return to prosperity in Highland County.

   "Improvements to the rail line will provide continued service to existing business, improve flooding and erosion problems along the  line, improve safety issues, and help to create and retain jobs. We applaud the efforts of Greenfield to secure the future of the Greenfield Rail Line."

   In other action, the commissioners passed the following resolutions, all by 3-0 votes:

   • The authorization of a modification to the Family & Children First Council budget as follows: from Non-Behavioral GRF, in the amount of $2,500 and from Grant, in the amount of $1,000, to FAST, in the amount of $3,500.

   • The authorization of additional appropriation to the Help Me Grow budget, from Unappropriated Funds to Help Me Grow, in the amount of $69,396.95. The additional appropriation results from the Ohio Department of Health FY11 budget, which began on July 1, 2010, providing more funds than expected at the time the County budget was approved for 2010.  Total 2010 estimated revenue is $311,825.80.

   • The authorization of a new fund with revenue and expenditure accounts to be known as VRP-3 Fund and Expenditure Account, Other Expense. No appropriation is needed until funds are received from participating counties.

   • The authorization of a modification to the Board of MRDD Reserve Balance Account and a transfer and appropriation to the Board of Mental Retardation budget as follows: a modification from Reserve Balance Account, Advances Out, to Reserve Balance Account, Transfers Out, in the amount of $40,000; and transfer from Reserve Balance Account, Transfers Out, to Board of Mental Retardation, Contract Services in the amount of $40,000.