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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2015-06-10, Page 9Wednesday, June 10, 2015 • Huron Expositor 9 County council sticking with SWIFT Proposed high-speed Internet initiative looks to build a regional fibre optic broadband network in southwestern Ontario Marco Vigliotti Huron Expositor Huron County council is press- ing for answers on how the thou- sands of dollars it sunk into a regional broadband initiative were exhausted after being asked for an additional $20,000 from the pro- ject's coordinators. Council passed a motion at its June 3 meeting to send an informa- tion request to the managing com- mittee of the Southwestern Inte- grated Fibre Technology (SWIFT) about how the group spent the $25,000 the county already paid in membership dues. Council, however, did not con- sider immediately backing out of SWIFT, with most members agreeing to wait and see how the estimated $233 million project to build a high- speed fibre optic regional broadband network for Western Ontario devel- ops in the coming months. Councillor Roger Watt, who serves as deputy reeve of Ashfield- Colborne-Wawanosh, likened the debate about the project to a game of poker, saying it is too early for council to simply fold its hand and refuse further participation. "I think it's too soon to fold - that's the most positive thing I can say about it," he said, revealing some reservations about the lack of clear details regarding the pro- posed scheme. Warden Paul Gowing expressed similar concerns, explaining that he was told recently by those involved with SWIFT that certain questions raised by the county, such as when its investment would start bearing fruit in Huron County, might not be answered until the "process is already underway." Despite reservations about mov- ing forward with so much uncer- tainty, he said it would probably be wise to stick with the scheme after forking over thousands in member- ship fees. "I really believe that we're at a point where it would be a leap of my faith to move forward but we already have funds in this, it might be best to see it through," he explained. Gowing also noted that a "well- received" presentation by the SWIFT managing committee at a recent Good Roads Association event in Toronto attracted the interest of an Ontario government minister who later referenced the delegation in their speech, which could potentially raise the possibil- ity of future funding support. "It has been noticed, it is on their radar. Does that mean something positive as far as funding in the future? Who knows," he cautioned. Helmed by the Western Ontario Wardens Caucus (WOWC), a not- for-profit organization comprised of the heads of council represent- ing 15 rural municipalities, in cooperation with the Southwestern Economic Alliance (SWEA), SWIFT is currently weighing which service providers it will tap to build the fibre optic network, with construc- tion anticipated to start in 2015. It is expected to be completed by 2020. Brenda Orchard, the county's chief administrative officer, told council that the draft business plan discussed at a recent WOWC meet- ing focused almost exclusively on the financial aspect of the project and did not touch upon many of the concerns of county council. "It was more about the dollars Book Now FOR FHTIIER'S DRY Something for Everyone Prime Rib • BBQ Back Ribs • Chicken Breast See Next Week's Paper For FuII Details Reservations Recommended. YJ/i•f / Sw u9 f96mm ^ 2 1111 Please call for details 524-7711 4. where we have questions about process and governance and when will we see our dollars invested in Huron County," she explained. Orchard said there "didn't seem to be an appetite" among WOWC members to herald a request by Warden Gowing to develop a terms of reference prior to the business plan, adding that she is worried that the finalized plan would focus exclusively on financials. She suggested council compile a list of questions it wants to see answered in the prospective busi- ness plan and pose them to those developing SWIFT during the next WOWC meeting, coincidentally slated to be hosted in Huron County. Another one of the major stick- ing points in county council discussions remains the lack of clarity on how SWIFT would bring broadband service to residents liv- ing in remote, rural areas - figura- tively known as the "last mile" According to the project's web- site, the cost alone to extend the broadband fibre optic network to the so-called last mile would total somewhere between $50 million to $70 million. osio pew B • YOU COULD • t, • , M111/21 GODERICIA 519 524 7811 AOR MOVIE INFORMATION... www.rnawlehriks.ca a ,,i61-894-265 433 Happy 75th Birthday BOB BEUTTENMILLER June 15 YOUR MORTGAGE PAYMENTS FOR A YEAR AND BE MORTGAGE FREE EVEN SOONER WITH OUR WIN-WIN RATE. Apply now at winwinmortgage.com or call 1-866-592-2226 and we'll come to you. Meridian" 'Contest open to existing Members and prospective Members who have applied for and been accepted into membership at Meridian, and purchased membership shares ($25), and who are legal residents of Ontario and over the age of 18. 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