Regional approach to high-speed internet discussed

 CORNWALL — Enhancing communications has long been seen as a need to promote development. Area officials are now looking at ways to band together in a regional approach to bring high-speed internet in the form of fiber optic broadband cable to Cornwall.

At their meeting on Tuesday, March 19, the selectmen in Cornwall discussed the need for high-speed internet, as a way to attract new families to town and as a way to make it possible for small businesses and cottage industries to survive here.

First Selectman Gordon Ridgway reported on his recent visit to Mount Washington, Mass., with First Selectman Henry Todd of Falls Village and Felicia Jones of Northwest ConneCT, a nonprofit trying to bring fiber optic cabling and mobile communications to more Northwest Corner towns. The group met with Mount Washington First Selectman Jim Lovejoy who has had experience with wiring western Massachusetts towns.

Mount Washington, with a population of 167 residents and 15 miles of roads, is far smaller than Cornwall, Ridgway said, but the town has installed fiber optic broadband. The project cost was about $750,000. A grant covered about $450,000 of that cost; the town was responsible for the balance.

That balance was funded by a $120 per month charge to customers, collected by the cable provider; $80 per resident was returned by the cable provider to the town.

Lovejoy emphasized that it brought a “change in demographics.” Two residents were able to move to town permanently and work from home.

Following up on the meeting, Jones said that she had identified a company that would study the terrain and create a preliminary cost estimate for bringing service to Cornwall. The cost of that general study would be $1,000.

“The more we can do with other area towns, the better,” Ridgway said, indicating that Falls Village might concurrently order a similar study.

Cornwall Selectman Richard Bramley said at the March 19 meeting that the preliminary study would probably only examine the roads and terrain and where the houses are. It would be a fairly simple first step, he said.

“It’s a useful first step, where we have no steps now,” Ridgway said. “At least we’ll know more.”

The selectmen agreed to discuss the $1,000 expenditure at their next meeting, on April 2.

Chip sealing in Cornwall Hollow of 15 miles of road will take place in April, and should be completed before May 1.  Ridgway said that chip seal is favored over sand seal because it creates less dust. The company will pre-sweep the 15 miles of roads for the job, a process that would normally cost $6,000, saving the town from needing to sweep that portion of the town’s roads.

“We will have to sweep the rest,” Ridgway said, referring to the work of clearing away the winter’s sand accumulation.