Cornwall slates municipal buildings for fiber internet

CORNWALL — Town employees and volunteers could see a boost in connection speeds later this year.

The Board of Selectmen discussed the plan and motioned to move forward with Connecticut Education Network internet Feb. 4.

CEN Connect is a state program that provides broadband infrastructure to municipal buildings and institutions. Grant funding is available to cover the cost of installation.

Through CEN Connect, Cornwall hopes to run fiber optic cable to Town Hall, both fire departments, the Transfer Station and the library.

Selectman Rocco Botto spoke with representatives of Litchfield and Goshen, which have already joined the Network and reportedly “love it.” It was described as fast, reliable and secure.

“It would be $135 a month and that covers all our municipal buildings,” said Botto. “Our only other obligation per site would be that $35 a month fiber maintenance fee.”

Each eligible site will be submitted to the Network for review and approval.

The internet comes from a main provider substation in Hartford. It was estimated that the rollout to Cornwall’s town buildings could be completed in about nine months.

The motion to move forward passed unanimously.

Committee Appointment

On Feb. 4, the Board of Selectmen appointed Richard Bramley to the Wastewater Management Project in West Cornwall Village Construction Committee.

Bramley is the town treasurer and has attended most of the Committee’s meetings since its inception.