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St. Lawrence County will help fund DANC survey of area broadband access

Posted 12/9/20

BY ANDY GARDNER North Country This Week CANTON -- St. Lawrence County legislators voted to pay $32,250 to the Development Authority of the North Country for a countywide broadband survey. DANC in …

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St. Lawrence County will help fund DANC survey of area broadband access

Posted

BY ANDY GARDNER
North Country This Week

CANTON -- St. Lawrence County legislators voted to pay $32,250 to the Development Authority of the North Country for a countywide broadband survey.

DANC in October had proposed splitting the bill with the county and they would store the information on their GIS mapping tool. DANC’s executive director told the legislators last month that this could be used to apply for grants to get fiber optic internet to unserved or underserved areas. The Board of Legislators tabled the bill at that meeting, and then approved it during their Monday, Dec. 7 full board meeting.

The vote took place after two members of the public urged the board to support it to help residents in areas of the county unserved or underserved with high-speed internet access.

"We've seen critical gaps (in internet access) and problems facing families. The Development Authority of the North Country deserves a great deal of credit in coming forward," said Legislator Jim Reagen, R-Ogdensburg.

Legislators also pointed out that private companies that sell internet access, like Verizon, have detailed maps of unserved and underserved areas that they refuse to share, making the survey necessary.