City Council Minutes 2018 01 16 - Laserfiche WebLink

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City Council Meeting Minutes January 16, 2018 Page 3 of 8 DISCUSSION/DIRECTION — 2018 LOUISVILLE BROADBAND NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND FEASIBILITY STUDY REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS Assistant to the City Manager Emily Hogan stated that in November 2017, voters approved Ballot Measure 2G, re-establishing the City's right to provide high-speed Internet services, telecommunications services and/or cable services to residents, businesses, schools, libraries, and other uses, either directly or indirectly with public or private sector partners. The City can now begin to explore a variety of options to meet broadband needs of residents & businesses. $50,000 was included in the 2018 budget for this study. She stated the first step is assessing current/future broadband needs of residents & businesses & evaluating the feasibility of business model strategies (i e retail, open access provider, municipal partnership, public services, public policy only) Several Colorado municipalities have completed/are completing similar studies including Boulder, Superior, Erie, Loveland, Fort Collins & Windsor The Louisville Scope of Services from the draft Request for Proposals is a combination of Superior & Erie's scopes. The study will look at inventory of assets/facilities, City's current network capabilities, existing broadband options/costs, stakeholders, market research for current/future needs, satisfaction with service and willingness to pay for altemative, potential regional partners and service providers, benefits/risks, business models/strategies, conceptual design/cost analysis and financing/funding availability Once study is complete, consultant will share results with Council in 3rd/4th quarter of 2018. Depending on results, Council may decide to refine options, complete additional analysis for preferred concept and/or solicit additional input from the community Mayor Muckle asked for public comments. None Councilmember Maloney stated the first issue we need to address is what we do with our facilities and public places. The second is if and how we can help provide residential services For the first item, we should determine how we provide access to residents in public facilities and how it is it authenticated. He would like those two issues separated and the public facility issue addressed first Councilmember Stolzmann stated Superior and Erie's study results are helpful She agreed we should improve public facility Internet, not necessarily the authenticating. She stated she is unsure what infrastructure we have today and what partnerships we have She stated we don't need the full blown feasibility study to answer all of the questions She would like information on what the current City -owned infrastructure is, what partnerships we have, and how that could lead us to providing middle mile service. She would like to consider what the City is interested in providing, do we want to