Cook County is eligible for up to $100,000 in grants that could help community members learn how to use fiber optic technology that is not even available yet to many Internet users, county information systems director Danna MacKenzie reported to the county board Tuesday, April 13, 2010. As reported previously in the Cook County News-Herald,
the Blandin Foundation was awarded $4.7 million to help communities make use of broadband.
Commissioner Jan Hall pointed out that Cook County does not have enough fiber optic line in place to train people how to use it. According to MacKenzie, however, the county has enough in place in areas such as Grand Marais to prepare the community for the possibility that fiber optic lines will extend to almost every doorstep.
Some of the $100,000 worth of projects the county can apply to Blandin for would require a 15% match.
Commissioner Bruce Martinson said he would like to see the schools, Cook County Higher Education, North Shore Hospital, and Grand Portage use the money to learn how they could apply the technology.
The board passed a motion allowing Cook County to be the fiscal agent for grants that may be awarded by the Blandin Foundation.
Leave a Reply