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2 <br />1 <br />2 <br />Discussionfollowed on the technical aspects of broadband, transmission speeds, fiber, <br />3 <br />hardware and standards. <br />4 <br />5 <br />Commissioner Rich saidemails from the public about rural network access have increased <br />6 <br />since the Google Fiber announcement. <br />7 <br />8 <br />There was a short discussion on current and possible changes in FCCrulesrelated to <br />9 <br />telecommunications. <br />10 <br />11 <br />Commissioner Price saidthe North Carolina Association of County Commissioners supported <br />12 <br />legislation to improve broadband services. <br />13 <br />14 <br />A member of the public in attendance commented that not only does network access impact a <br />15 <br />child’s ability to do school work, but network access also impacts home/property values. <br />16 <br />17 <br />Jim Northrup saidthat some of the next steps will be to identify vertical assets. Vertical assets <br />18 <br />can include existing elevated structures such as farm silos. He also stated that the Planning <br />19 <br />Department had looked at possible tower sites. However, those sites were based on a need to <br />20 <br />improve radio communications for emergency services (law enforcement, fire, ambulance, etc.). <br />21 <br />22 <br />Representative Meyer asked if there was a timeline for the next steps. <br />23 <br />24 <br />Jim Northrup saidmany topics had been covered during the meeting and that the specific goals <br />25 <br />would need to be better defined before establishing timelines. He did state that a next step <br />26 <br />would be a survey, which was already being designed, to get information from the public. <br />27 <br />28 <br />Bonnie Hammersley and Chair McKee both expressed appreciation for all who attended and <br />29 <br />participated in the meeting. <br />30 <br />31 <br />Representative Meyer said there wasa need to get the survey out to the public and bring the <br />32 <br />telecommunications companies to the table. <br />33 <br />34 <br />The meeting adjourned at 3:15 p.m. <br />35 <br />36 <br />37 <br />38 <br />39 <br />