Southern Tier development agency pursuing broadband initiatives
SALAMANCA — The Southern Tier West Regional Planning and Development Agency is pursuing several projects to help keep Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Allegany counties connected to the Internet.
The agency’s board of directors voted Thursday to act as the lead agency in a $4.5 million “Fiber Build Project” linking Pennsylvania to Falconer in Chautauqua County and to Whitesville in Allegany County.
The board also received an update on its much-delayed broadband development initiative for wireless services in the Allegany towns of Alma, Allen, Burns, Caneadea, Granger, Grove and Rushford.
Agency director Don Rychnowski said he is eager to see an overhauled Allegany County wireless contract that is expected to arrive soon.
The Broadband Installation Project is one of the regional projects submitted along with the Broadband Inventory Project to the federal Economic Development Administration.
Richard Zink of the development agency said these projects should receive a higher rank due to potential for interstate connectivity and serving the rural area.
Rychnowski told the board that New York State is often described as 98 percent served by broadband, but the statistics refer to population.
“Geographically it’s more in the 40th percentile,” he said, noting that a fiber-mapping project, now identifying fiber tower locations by mid-May, will point out where coverage is lacking.
He also pointed out that DSL and cable Internet service is not the same as broadband and that the U. S. is trying to catch up with Europe in broadband connectivity.
The board also received an update on a municipal Web site project that has provided basic Web sites for eight municipalities, as well as the geographic information system (GIS) Asset Management Program for data collection of water, wastewater and infrastructure facilities in the region using new software.
During this phase, GIS data is under way in Cuba, South Dayton, Mayville and Sinclairville. The other information will be accessed by a viewer and link to the development agency’s server, and some information will eventually be useful in the agency’s Regional Transportation Planning Program. GIS also will be used to convert municipal zoning maps to digital format and applied as a layer of data for many purposes.
Rychnowski then told the board members about stimulus aid workshops put on by Gov. David A. Paterson for cities and counties. He said he has been trying to get a confirmation from the governor’s office on a promised “Webinar” or downlink presentation that he requested in response to the many complaint calls he received from towns and villages.
“We’re hoping it still happens and we can put something together for local governments and we’re hoping for another round of discussions for a second round in the [stimulus] process,” Rychnowski said.
He cautioned that the information being passed around about the stimulus funding bill is confusing, with many promises but “little reality” and not much money for local governments.
He said that in this region, $87 million will go to transportation projects that are in line for federal aid, with only one-third of that amount destined for Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties. Of the roughly $20 million, two-thirds will be spent on state roads that are federally aided highways.
In another matter, Rychnowski told the board he received the John D. Whisman Vision Award on March 9 in Washington, D. C., from the Regional Development Board and Development District Association of Appalachia.
The award recognizes Rychnowski for his 28 years of work in regional planning and development and service on the Regional Development Board.
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