| Monterey
residents will soon have access to broadband Internet.
ConnectKentucky announced last week that the community, with a
population of 167 people, is among four in the state to receive
nearly $1 million in grant dollars to make the Internet more accessible.
Across the country, $8.9 million was awarded to 21 communities
in eight states. Since the federal program began five years ago,
$57.7 million has been invested in 129 communities.
Monterey will receive $214,153, which will be used to put in the
infrastructure necessary to make the service available. Also included
are funds to set up a 10-computer community center at Monterey
Baptist Church. The computers will be open to the public for a
designated period each day and the plan is to eventually offer
workshops and classes to the community.
Details on the center are still being worked out and a time-line
for implementation has not been developed.
“We expect to do an onsite check presentation in the next
few weeks,” said Brent Legg, field officer for Rep. Geoff
Davis. “After that, we’ll develop a time-line to make
these resources available to the community. The equipment will
have to be put in place and I know there are some logistics to
work out regarding the community center.”
“We are committed to finding ways to meet the needs of (Monterey)
to the best of our abilities,” said Tony Watkins, pastor
of Monterey Baptist Church, where the community center will be
housed. “We can’t be everything to everybody, but
there are a lot of needs we help to meet. God has blessed us with
wonderful facilities and we have always sought opportunities to
utilize our resources in ways that would make a difference to
families in our area. When the community works together and supports
efforts to make our little part of the world a better place, everyone
wins.”
In addition, the grants make it possible to provide broadband
services to residents in the area immediately surrounding the
community.
The money comes from the Rural Utilities Services, a department
of the U.S. Department of Agriculture through the Community Connect
Grant program. Also receiving funds were Berry in Harrison County,
Columbus in Hickman County and Concord in Lewis County.
“These funds will provide a critical link between essential
community facilities in areas where no broadband service currently
exists,” said Agriculture Deputy Secretary Chuck Conner.
“The goal is to improve public safety and also enable residents
to pursue educational opportunities.”
Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher said the grants would give the communities
access to the world of resources available on the Internet.
“My administration is committed to full broadband deployment
for every Kentucky community, and these grants support Kentucky’s
Prescription for Innovation to help ensure that no community is
left behind,” he said.
Kentucky’s Prescription for Innovation is a comprehensive
plan to accelerate technology growth, particularly in the areas
of broadband deployment and technology literacy and usage. The
initiative seeks to blanket Kentucky with broadband service by
the end of 2007.
“I am extremely pleased that Owen, Harrison and Lewis counties
will be receiving these important grants to increase the proliferation
of broadband technology in these rural communities,” said
Rep. Geoff Davis, who represents three of the four communities
which received the federal dollars. “Expanding access to
technology resources is critical to enhancing education and economic
development. I will continue to work to ensure that all of our
communities have access to advanced technology resources.”
ConnectKentucky, Kentucky’s technology-based economic development
partnership, developed the grant applications in partnership with
various telecommunications providers.
The broadband services will be provided by SouthEast Telephone.
The idea behind the USDA program is to increase economic opportunity
and improve the quality of life in rural communities. Since 2001,
Rural Development has invested more than $72 billion to provide
equity and technical assistance to finance and foster growth in
homeownership, business development and critical community and
technology infrastructure. More than 1.2 million jobs have been
created or saved through the investments.
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