By Mayor Karen Sheek
The past few months have been an exciting time in Montezuma County as representatives from the county, Cortez, Mancos, Dolores, and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe have met to discuss the possibility of making state of the art internet access available to all members of our community by constructing our own broadband infrastructure.
After months spent meeting with local and regional partners, gathering information, and analyzing data, the decision has been made to hold off on asking for a vote on a county sales tax to fund broadband infrastructure this election cycle.
As deadlines loomed, we realized although we are working with a financial consultant to gather information on financing options, we simply did not have all the necessary information needed to make a good decision at this point. In addition, we thought it prudent to move more slowly before determining the structure of the entity that will over-see the completed project.
Although disappointed, everyone agrees that this project is too important to fail so we want to be sure we have considered every contingency and planned out every detail before going to the voters.
The Connect4 Fiber to the Home project is moving forward, but for this election cycle, our focus will be on encouraging residents in Dolores and the county to opt out of Senate Bill 152.
Just a brief overview of SB 152:
After extensive lobbying from the large telecommunications providers, Colorado SB 152 was passed in 2005.It prohibits local governments from investing in broadband services, including infrastructure for homes and businesses.It prohibits local governments from providing broadband services to homes and businesses.It prohibits government entities from entering into public-private partnerships that would leverage government infrastructure in order to make affordable, high-speed internet services available to businesses and homes.Though restrictive, this legislation does include an opt out provision which voters in Dolores and Montezuma County will be asked to provide this November when they go to the polls.Cortez got into fiber before SB 152 was passed and thus is exempt from this legislation. Mancos opted out this spring with an overwhelming 86 percent “yes” vote. Currently over 60 Colorado communities have voted to opt out with the average vote in favor an unprecedented 80 percent — a margin most candidates only dream of!
It is important that voters in the County and Dolores vote “yes” this fall to opt out of SB 152.
As we move forward, please join in the conversation, ask questions, and learn how this fourth utility can positively impact not only you, but our community as a whole. “A community moves forward when its old men plant trees under whose shade they know they will never sit.” This is our opportunity to begin planting those trees in our community.
Karen Sheek is the mayor of Cortez. Reach her at [email protected].
