City considering broadband franchise agreement

DAYTON-The City Council was presented a broadband franchise agreement for review, as well as information about the project by Port of Columbia Executive Director Jennie Dickinson during the monthly meeting on September 13. Sheriff Joe Helm provided updates about law enforcement and reports were given from Mayor Zac Weatherford and council committees.

A broadband franchise agreement, provided to City Councilmembers from Port Executive Director Dickinson, would allow for the utility to be offered in the City of Dayton. Dickinson extended her gratitude to the City for providing $335,000 of the $500,000 match requirement for the $2 million grant from the Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) to fund the project.

She emphasized that the Port will not be providing internet, only the infrastructure which is leased out to internet service providers (ISPs) to provide the broadband to the community. It will be an open network which means that any internet provider can lease the use of the network at any time.

Currently, there are three ISPs committed to providing the service to Dayton. The lease fee for the ISPs to use the network is $20 per customer per month to be paid to the Port to cover maintenance costs. The projected cost to the customers currently ranges from $50-$70 depending on the speed through Emerge by Inland Cellular. Dickinson said she suspects the other ISPs will want to offer a competitive rate.

Sheriff Helm reported that since school has started, they have had at least two deputies on campus every morning and sometimes other times of the day including for assemblies. He explained that they are there to interact with students and staff, as well as to provide additional security.

Previously, he spoke with the Board of County Commissioners to tell them of plans to have a required active shooter drill at the courthouse on September 23 outside of business hours. He informed Council that the department will be holding Citizens Academy again with a focus on the recent legislative changes for law enforcement.

Parks and Recreation Committee Chair Jim Sueuga shared that they are making an action plan modeled after other jurisdictions to support the Public Works Department by taking on some simpler duties in the parks and public grounds so the crew can focus on larger jobs and projects. He spoke about also getting the community involved.

Teeny McMunn said the Planning and Community Development Committee is working on holding a Meet and Greet event for new Dayton residents sometime next June. Also, they are making plans for an event series sponsored through the Chamber connected with the Cup of Joe event for the community to meet and interact with the councilmembers from the various committees.

McMunn also reported as the Chamber of Commerce liaison about their upcoming event of the Historic Homes Tour on October 1.

Mayor Weatherford said the committees held budget review meetings on August 31. He provided updated short- and long-term goals for the committees to look over and revise. He announced that city staff are planning a customer appreciation event on the same day as the next regular council meeting on October 11. He also said the staff and council will have photos taken that day for the city website.