Connect Massac working toward better broadband accessibility: Community meeting is April 25

Providing those connections is the goal of the newly formed Connect Massac.

The steering committee, put together by the Massac County Commission and State Rep. Patrick Windhorst (R-Metropolis), is getting together the information needed in applying for a Broadband Breakthrough Planning Grant, which will assist with the expansion of broadband access throughout the county.

“The Broadband Breakthrough Grant is an exciting opportunity for our county,” Windhorst said. “Broadband accessibility is a modern necessity for a rural community to grow and flourish. This grant and the resulting expansion plan will assist our county in meeting the broadband needs of our citizens going forward.”

As part of that goal, Connect Massac is hosting an informational meeting at 9 a.m. Thursday, April 25, at First Baptist Church Metropolis, 307 Massac Creek Rd. The public is invited to attend to learn more about the Broadband Breakthrough program and be updated on Connect Massac’s progress with it. In addition, representatives from the Benton Institute for Broadband and the University of Illinois will be present to answer the public’s questions and discuss Connect Massac’s public survey. For more information on the April 25 meeting, email connectmassac@gmail.com or leave a message at 618-522-0210.

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Following the success of the Broadband Breakthrough pilot program in January 2023, the Illinois Soybean Association, as a primary program funder, is expanding the broadband planning program to rural areas throughout the state. The association is working with Illinois Extension, Benton Institute for Broadband, Illinois State University, Illinois Broadband Lab and the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity on the Broadband Breakthrough Grant.

Massac is one of six counties contending for the grant through a 16-week process that’s to be completed in June. That process is a guided self-help program where community teams of eight to 15 members meet weekly for two hours. Expert presentations are done in the first hour with all team members from the participating communities. The second hour is reserved for each community to meet and plan its own work of gathering critical information, setting priorities and creating partnerships with broadband providers.

Through these weekly sessions, communities:

● Create a broadband vision and goals statement outlining desired outcomes;

● Conduct a community broadband survey;

● Interview current and prospective broadband providers;

● Review and analyze a provided broadband map;

● Host a Broadband Breakthrough team visit in their community; and

● Create a countywide broadband plan with up to four hours of Benton Institute assistance.

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The Connect Massac steering committee began meeting March 6. Among its first order of business was getting community involvement in the BEAD (Broadband Equity Access Deployment) Challenge, which tested the speed of residents’ home internet.

This week, the team has launched a survey to get a better understanding of the current and future broadband needs of Massac County residents. The results of the survey will be used to develop strategies for building the best broadband infrastructure in Massac County.

The survey is accessible:

• Electronically through a QR code or at go.illinois.edu/connectmassac.

• Or, through paper copies available at Metropolis City Hall, Massac Memorial Hospital, Massac County Farm Bureau, Brookport City Hall, Joppa High School and the Massac County Courthouse. Completed surveys can be dropped off at these locations.

Only one survey should be completed per household. Surveys must be completed by Friday, May 17.

“The more people who complete this survey, the better,” said Tiffany Korte, who is the Connect Massac team leader. “We really want to have a good understanding of what the broadband situation in Massac County. All of the data collected is being used for the sole purpose of determining what rural areas need.”

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Broadband Breakthrough aims to support rural communities that are advocating for expanded broadband access. Benton Institute for Broadband, University of Illinois Extension and Illinois Soybean Association are leading the efforts by working with participating counties to identify those underserved with their broadband and identify potential broadband providers to partner with.

“Those of us who live out in the county know we have poor internet access and expensive service here,” Korte said. “The goal of the project is to bring reliable and affordable broadband to rural areas in Illinois.”

Over $1 billion in grant funding is available to the state of Illinois. Potentially, counties could receive $5,000 to $10,000 for each underserved home not included in another funding source or group. But, “there are a lot of counties who’ve already been through this process and there are six going through it now, including Johnson, Boone, Lawrence, Vermillion and Lee,” Korte noted.

She said the goal of Connect Massac is to receive grant funds to bring infrastructure to the county to expand its broadband access.

“We’re hoping to identify what our broadband needs are here in Massac County and possibly identify providers who can expand their services into the rural areas or attract additional providers to come here,” she said.

Connect Massac co-leader Maggie Rzechula emphasized better broadband access is vital to the future of Massac County.

“Right now economically, we might not attract a business, but somewhere down the road we will. We have to have that access ready to even be attractive,” she said. “Access to affordable, reliable and fast internet can help residents, businesses, institutions and farms succeed in today’s economy. It can help people work remotely, get an education, attract tourism, expand businesses, improve yields on farms, access health care and build the local economy.”

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Twenty-two members make up the Connect Massac steering committee.

Massac County commissioner Jayson Farmer and Windhorst worked on a list of who they thought would represent the Massac County as a whole in the different sectors of business, farming, education, healthcare, government, banking, emergency services, outreach and underserved areas. Farmer then reached out to people to personally ask them to participate.

Joining Windhorst, Farmer, Korte, who works at Farmer & Company Real Estate, and Rzechula who works at City National Bank, are: Kaley McGinnis, SNAP Employment & Training Program; Jason Hayes, Massac Unit 1 schools; Dr. Vickie Artman, Joppa-Maple Grove schools; Cliff Easter, First Baptist Church Metropolis; Dave Christian, Metro Service Center; Don Robbins, Massac Memorial Hospital; Kristy Stephenson, Shawnee Community College; Micah Tolbert, City of Metropolis Emergency Management director; Chad Murray, City of Metropolis; Alexis Shreves, Massac County Farm Bureau; Keith Davis, Massac County 911 coordinator; Amy Ferris, Massac County Highway Department engineer; Stewart Weisenberger, Farmer & Company Real Estate; Christi Mescher, City National Bank; James Walters III, Army Corps of Engineers; Massac County commissioners Jeff Brugger and Jimmy Burnham; and Nick Mott, Windhorst’s legislative aide.

“Thank you to the many community leaders who have stepped up to collaborate on this effort,” Windhorst said.