[July 30, 2009] City eyes wireless broadband [Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.] Tweet (Messenger-Inquirer (Owensboro, KY) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Jul. 30--The Owensboro City Commission is considering applying for a $280,000 federal grant that could help bring free wireless broadband Internet to downtown Owensboro, and possibly other areas of the city. Providing the service will not come at zero cost to the city, however. The city will be required to put up $70,000 in local matching money to build the broadband infrastructure and then pay for the ongoing costs of operating it, an amount that isn't yet known. Part of the allure of a revitalized downtown with trendy shops, restaurants and entertainment venues is that it should attract the young, tech-savvy crowd to live, work and open businesses. That's part of the thinking behind the city's interest in seeking federal stimulus funds to put several wireless Internet access transmitters in the area of Smothers Park and the RiverPark Center and possibly other city parks. As early as next week, the City Commission is expected to consider a grant application for money the federal government is offering under the BTOP, or Broadband Technology Opportunities Program. The federal stimulus dollars, along with the city's 20 percent match, would total $350,000 that would be used to install the Internet broadcasting system with a remotely operated central control facility and antennas mounted in various places to provide coverage in the downtown area along the Ohio River. The opportunity to have wireless broadband access for only 20 percent of the system's total cost brought a positive response from city commissioners at Tuesday's work session at City Hall. "I think the City Commission is fully behind it," City Manager Bill Parrish said. The project aligns well with the goals of downtown redevelopment, Parrish said, which include drawing tech-savvy young entrepreneurs to the city. Mark Welte, the city's information technology director, said public broadband access is not currently available downtown. "There's a lot of synergy with this and what the city wants to do with downtown," Welte said. "We can do four or five sites with the money." Welte said he would have the grant application ready for the City Commission's consideration at Tuesday's commission meeting. The deadline for applying for the first round of funding is Aug. 14. Total federal funds that will be available for BTOP and the related Broadband Initiatives Program is $4.7 billion. Steve Vied, 691-7297, [email protected] To see more of the Messenger-Inquirer, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.messenger-inquirer.com. Copyright (c) 2009, Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]