ROCKPORT, Maine — Town residents will decide next week whether to take a major step to extend high-speed broadband Internet access to the entire town.
One article on the June 15 annual town meeting warrant is a proposal for the town to spend $300,000 for design and engineering of a municipal-owned broadband network.
A study issued last September by Tilson Technology estimated that the cost of extending fiber to every household and business in Rockport was $7.9 million.
The study maintained, however, that the economic benefits of the extension to the entire communities would far exceed the costs.
Rockport officials continue to support the proposal. Members of both the Select Board and the Budget Committee voted unanimously to recommend the voters support the $300,000 design and engineering request on the warrant.
The town meeting next Wednesday will begin at 7 p.m. at the Rockport Opera House.
When the Tilson report was issued last year, Rockport Town Manager Rick Bates said that when viewed in terms of other public utilities such as sewer, roads or water lines, constructing a broadband network to connect with the world is very affordable. He said a place such as Rockport already had quality of life locked up, but that people need to be able to work when they move to town.
Bates said Tuesday that the $7.9 million estimate was a worst-case scenario and more firm cost estimates would be known upon completion of the design and engineering study.
In August 2014, broadband access was provided for the village through a joint project between the town and GWI.
“Broadband investment can have a dramatic effect on economic development,” Tilson stated in its report. “Among other effects, broadband enhances efficiency and productivity of firms, facilitates commerce, attracts jobs, increases consumer options and saves residents money.”
The company estimated economic activity in the three communities could increase $170 million over 10 years. This includes added jobs and higher wages for jobs.
If voters approve the engineering and design study, town officials say that a bond referendum would be put before residents in June 2017 to finance the construction. Construction of the broadband network would take about 18 months to complete if the town were to proceed, according to the Tilson report.
The town has posted information on the proposal on its website. The benefits cited by the town include improved access to education, job creation and health care, as well as helping older residents stay in their homes and increasing the value of homes.