Dems: Use Covid Funds for Internet

Livingston County should use its $37.2 million in covid relief funds to tackle the problem of poor internet service in the county, Livingston County Democrats told the county board Monday night.

More than a dozen Democrats spoke during the call to the public about the need for better internet access to meet the needs of county families for working, studying, shopping, seeking medical care, attendin government meetings, and more from home.

“One of the things the pandemic taught us is that reliable, fast internet is crucial for life in the 21st Century But too many of our county residents struggled with slow internet or spotty service that held our children, businesses, and workers back,” said Judy Daubenmier, chair of Livingston County Democrats.

Dan Luria, party vice chair, called for the creation of a committee that would study various options for improving internet access and report back within 90 to 120 days. Several options exist, including fiber optics and low orbit satellite such as Elon Musk’s Star Link, he said. He said the county should take the lead in devising a system so that townships don’t go different directions, resulting in a hodge-podge system.

The panel could also explore various other sources of funding, including programs from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Federal Communications Commission, as well as subsidies for individuals, Luria said.

Speakers from Conway Township to Unadilla Township on the western side of the county, from the city of Brighton and Green Oak Township on the eastern side of the county told the commission of their struggles with internet.

Nancy Durance of Brigthon said she worked as a contact tracer during the pandemic but with three people working from home, their internet was often overloaded and she lost contacts.

Marie Joppich of Hamburg Township said she has been offered jobs from all over the country and even the world because the pandemic showed that people can work from home, but she has had to turn them down due to poor internet service where she lives. More people could move to Livingston County if they knew dependable internet was available that let them work from home, she said. The service is so spotty that a difference of a block or two in the same subdivision can mean a great difference in the quality of service. Joppich said.

Iosco Township resident Cherie Mollison said she pays nearly $300 a month for two cell phones and satellite internet.

“The internet has a capped data limit, is usually slow and completely out of service if it rains or snows hard. There are additional penalties to this sorry set-up. Conservative estimates I have seen indicate you lose 7 percent of your home value if you don’t have broadband internet service. On a sale of a $260,000 home, that is a hit of over $18,000,” she said.

More than 60 Iosco Townshp residents attended a meeting on broadband in 2019, before the pandemic, so it’s clear there is interest, she said.

During the pandemic, many people were reluctant to go to their doctor’s office due to covid, but appointments over the internet helped fill that gap, said Donnie Bettes, a doctor from Genoa Township. “I think internet should be the same as water or power. I should be something all municipalities provide to their people,” she said.

Unadilla Township Trustee Lori Cowan said that township board has agareed to put all its $340,000 in American Rescue Plan funds toward improving broadband. “My hope is that our county commission will agree to put the $37.2 million it will receive toward the same problem,” she said.

A retired teacher, Cindy Kalogeropoulos, said it was frustrating to hear of stories of children who were trying to learn at home, but whose internet consistently froze up.

Besides the $37.2 million headed to the county’s coffers, townships will receive another $19 million, making more than $56 million that could go toward tackling this problem. The funds cannot be used for road improvements, but broadband is specifically allowed.

A year ago, Democratic candidates for county commission called on the commission to set up a panel to examine the problem of internet access and seek solutions, but the commission did not act, despite evidence during the pandemic that county families and businesses needed better internet.

(Paid for by Livingston County Democratic Executive Committee, 8028 Grand River, Woodland Plaza Suite 7, Brighton, MI 48114. Labor donated.)