The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Joy Swearingen, The Quill Correspondent
Carthage– The Grow Hancock Broadband committee presented an update on their work over the past 16 weeks, during the regular meeting of the Hancock County board on May 16.
The project is a fact finding effort, working to put the county in a good position when state and federal grants are offered to improve internet service to rural areas. A committee of 12 volunteers from around the county is working to assess internet serve and future needs.
“We need to know who has fast internet, who has slow internet, and who has no internet,” explained Samantha Harnack, executive director of Hancock County Economic Development Corporation HCEDC. Hancock County was identified as one of 14 rural Illinois counties with inadequate internet service.
“In the near future the federal and state governments will be making funds available to connect broadband further into these areas, and we want to be ready when they do.”
During February, March and April, 512 households, businesses, and farms from Hancock County responded to a survey. They described how they use the internet, what inadequacies they face, and what more they could do with better internet service. In the survey, a test assessed the speed of the current internet at their homes, businesses, and farms.
Of the 512 responding, 125 were farmers or ag businesses.
After the fact finding stage, the group will focus on educating families, community leaders, business owners, and farmers on how important fiber is in the future of fast, reliable internet service to the county.
Key future needs for broadband are providing for new farm equipment with on-board computer technology, allowing more home-based businesses to serve the area, and accommodating increased work from home options.
Jay Griswold, CEO and president of MTC Communications in Colchester, has assisted with the program. He described fiber as the kind of service that will “be there” as wireless needs expand in the future.
The full Grow Hancock Broadband report is available on the HCEDC website, growhancock.com.
The county board reviewed copies of the union contract with EMS workers. Because of some minor wording issues, final approval of the contract was postponed.
In order to have the contract in place by June 1, a special meeting pf the full board was set for 8 a.m. Tuesday, May 30, to act on the contract.
The board approved Stewart Law Firm as their labor attorney in negotiating the contract.
The board approved a resolution allowing the Hancock Building Commission to take over managing the lease payments, expenses and utilities of the EMS building, now that the sale to Ryan Jacquot is final. The county will lease the building for three years. Repairs to the roof of the building were approved.
The commission will also begin researching possible locations for a new EMS facility. EMS director and his crews have provided a list of what they would like to have in a new building.
Hancock Building Commission chairman, Mike Heisler, assured the board that the commission will work together with the board.
“My intention is, after the building commission looks at this, researches the possibilities, and comes up with plan, come back to finance committee and give them our suggestions. At that time, people can tell us if that is what you want,” said Heisler.
The Hancock Building Commission is a local board that owns and manages costs and levies of buildings of the county.
The board heard concerns and watched a video of runoff from the main street through Basco, that creates flooding, after work was done there last year. Engineer Elgin Berry and the board discussed possibilities for correcting the problems.
The following appointments were made:
In other business, the board: