Orange County NC Website
3 <br /> 1 Representative Insko said that could be fixed that with a tax credit. <br /> 2 <br /> 3 Representative Meyer said it would probably be a flat fee. <br /> 4 <br /> 5 <br /> 6 OTHER PRIORITIES <br /> 7 <br /> 8 Broadband <br /> 9 Chair McKee said he and Representative Meyer had spoken about this prior at the community broadband <br /> 10 meeting on March 6 and that this was an issue statewide. <br /> 11 <br /> 12 Chair McKee said other than grants, is there anything else the state can do related to the broad band issue <br /> 13 to help expand coverage in Orange County. <br /> 14 <br /> 15 Representative Meyer said in the legislative branch - he has heard little or nothing about broad band for <br /> 16 rural areas. There seems to be a lack of willingness to give municipalities the authority to oversee <br /> 17 broadband. He said is not sure if they will see much of a legislative solution. <br /> 18 <br /> 19 Representative Meyer said this is where you need the governor for his leadership since he represents <br /> 20 everyone. <br /> 21 <br /> 22 Representative Insko said it should be an issue for the Department on Public Instruction since it is also <br /> 23 about education since children cannot get a signal at their homes in order to do their homework online or <br /> 24 access resources on line. <br /> 25 <br /> 26 Representative Insko said what the Commissioners hear about the broadband issue from their NCACC <br /> 27 meetings. <br /> 28 <br /> 29 Commissioner Price (NCACC representative) said they hear about the broad band issue all the time and <br /> 30 NACo is also attentive and supportive of broad band for rural areas. <br /> 31 <br /> 32 Representative Insko said then they as Board and NCACC as a state organization should put pressure on <br /> 33 at the state level. <br /> 34 <br /> 35 Representative Meyer said he has talked with representatives from AT&T and Time Warner to join them at <br /> 36 the table for this discussion and they said they would. He said he had heard of a wireless provider in <br /> 37 Chatham County that is interested in providing broad band in the southern part of the county as well as <br /> 38 Piedmont Electric who is interested in becoming a player at the table. He is coordinating this issue with <br /> 39 Bonnie Hammersley and IT Director Jim Northup. <br /> 40 <br /> 41 Representative Meyer said it is important to know that if the Board wants to solve this issue for Orange <br /> 42 County that Orange County is going to have to come up with funding solutions and manpower. <br /> 43 <br /> 44 <br /> 45 E-911 Funds <br /> 46 <br /> 47 Land, Water and Agricultural Preservation Funding <br /> 48 <br /> 49 Chair McKee asked the Delegation was there support for funding for agricultural preservation activities. <br /> 50 <br /> 51 Representative Insko said not that she has heard but they will not know until the Governor's budget comes <br /> 52 out. <br /> 53 <br /> 54 Commissioner Jacobs said he has heard that the Governor is proposing more budget cuts for parks. <br />