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Date: 12/6/2018
CHICOPEE – In an ongoing discussion about the role the City Council could or should play in encouraging the development of a municipal broadband network in the city, the council voted to adopt a resolution that it “goes on record as implementing municipal broadband, according to the General Manager of Chicopee Electric Light’s (CEL) timetable.”
City Councilor Joel McAuliffe wanted the council to adopt a resolution that would take a stronger stand, but at the Dec. 4 council meeting proposed amending the resolution to read “goes on record as implementing municipal broadband,” eliminating a reference to the CEL timetable.
McAuliffe has questioned the decision that CEL would develop a municipal broadband service that would compete with Charter in a gradual phase-in program. In October, Chicopee Electric Light General Manager James Cady told Reminder Publishing Crossroads Fiber, CEL’s name for its high-speed Internet service, would be built out in phases throughout the city. Those businesses that are physically close to the fiber optic network may see an opportunity in 2019 with an expanded pilot program. The costs for the build-out will be borne by CEL as part of its capital expenditure. Cady said 70 percent of the businesses in the city are in close proximity to the fiber optic network. After the conclusion of the pilot program, the build-out of the network would be based on customer demand from business customers.
Next summer, Cady said CEL would start construction for a pilot project to provide municipal Internet service to 300 to 500 residential customers. He said CEL wants to measure the level of interest from consumers for municipal broadband.
McAuliffe has said he believes elected leaders in the city should take a more active role in driving the timetable of the project.
The council consulted a meeting on Nov. 19 about the subject that McAuliffe’s described as “a great meeting, a great discussion.” The resolution came out of that meeting.
McAuliffe offered the amendment that would cut a reference to CEL out of the resolution. He said his amendment did not commit the council or the city to allocating funds for project. It would not remove CEL as the entity developing the broadband network. Cutting the reference would make the resolution more “vague” and simply a statement for support.
Most members of the council criticized the amendment. Councilor Shane Brooks believes the amendment was trying to “remove the professional ability to drive that process.”
Councilor James Tillotson said, “I don’t see any reason in the world not to have confidence in the CEL.”
He continued, “We’re all in favor of broadband and I don’t see why you’re trying to take the authority away [from CEL].”
Tillotson added, “There’s wireless down the road. There’s all sorts of changes coming.”
Councilor William Courchesne said the amended resolution was a “fair compromise” and added, “it just will make it vague. It makes it good for us.”
McAuliffe said, “If you want to keep it vague, let’s keep it vague.”
He charged that some members of the council have not read the feasibility study conducted in 2015. He expressed his concern for the future.
McAuliffe said that Burlington, VT and Chattanooga, TN, have municipal broadband. Official in Burlington told him Chicopee should make the investment in five years.
“I see it as a savior for the city,” McAuliffe said.
Tillotson called the remarks from the Burlington official as “a lot of hot air that all it is.”
Tillotson said, “We’re moving forward.”
McAuliffe’s amendment was voted down.