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Council Rejects WiFi Committee Proposal

On June 26, the last meeting of the Chapel Hill Town Council before their summer break, Council member Laurin Easthom brought a resolution called Establishment of Special Committee to Consider Development of Wireless Communication Network. This was a revisit of an earlier petition presented to council on June 12.

Easthom explained why she thought the new committee was a good idea. But she sounded the whole time like it wasn’t going t happen. Then she said someone had told her before the meeting that the council wouldn’t support it. That the council had already decided against it before their meeting but hadn’t even talked to her about it.

What proceeded was the first substantial public discussion by the Town Council concerning municipal wireless networks in Chapel Hill.

First Bill Strom responded to Easthom by bringing up the need for a technology master plan, the potential large expense of a wireless network, and the fact that the town has a dearth of good tech advising since the council dismissed the tech committee. Also adding that the Coucncil got rid of the tech committee because it wasn’t providing them adequate advice. He also seemed skeptical of a pilot project in downtown when some business owners may not even want it.

Ed Harrison felt it was important that the council do something tonight. He expressed what seemed like support for the creation of a wireless network.

Mayor Foy said his view is that they don’t know what their priorities are concerning wireless. He seems to feel that we should be careful and not make mistakes just throwing something up.

Easthom reminded the council that wireless is much more that using a laptop in downtown. Another good example of its use would be emergency services and education.

Mark Kleinschmidt begged to differ about the one laptop in downtown image. Just look at Carrboro and how much their WiFi is used. He believed we need to do a tech master plan.

Foy believed we should take more time and not just rush into something. Foy’s view is they don’t know what their priorities area concerning wireless. He doesn’t seem to want to build something just because its cool for downtown.

Easthom reminded the council that wireless is much more than a using a laptop downtown. Other uses include emergency services like fire and police.

Kleinschmidt pointed out that no one has said we should just do it right now.

Foy explained that he was only responding to a comment Strom said.

It was moved and seconded to ask the manager to prepare for a tech master plan committee/discussion.

Easthom said a tech master plan idea felt like a delay tactic and cited the 10 year old street scape master plan.

Foy claimed that the first time he had read the wireless committee establishment proposal was at three o’clock that day. Easthom pointed out that this information has been in a previous meeting’s packet weeks ago.

Here is a score card for how the council APPEARS to stands on municipal networking. Specifically on whether a committee should be created to study the idea.

Sally Greene - No
Bill Thorp - ?
Bill Strom - No
Ed Harrison - Yes
Mark Kleinschmidt - Yes
Larin Easthom - Yes
Kevin Foy - No
Jim Ward - No
Cam Hill - No

Note: I welcome members of the Town Council to clarify or correct the above writting in the comments bellow.