Agenda - 11-19-1991 - Laserfiche WebLink

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4 P114PUBLIC INFORMATION NETWORK, inc. February 25, 1991 To the County Commissioners Orange County, North Carolina As you are aware, Public Information Network, inc. is attempting to establish public- access com- puter bulletin -board systems in North Carolina. We have chosen Orange County, including Carrboro and Chapel Hill , as the site for the first system. This system will allow access by all the citizens of the county to a tremendous range of information, and will provide communication from personal computers or public terminals to local officials and to one another for forums and discussions . The multiple levels of privacy and security available will enable us to offer E -mail capabilities to public organizations throughout Orange County. In the future, as PIN systems spread over the Triangle and the state, similar communications over a wide area will be possible. In order for such a system to meet its full potential, it is important that it be sponsored by the local governments it supports. Realizing that many of the startup costs are one -time only events, we are currently seeking grant funds from foundations and corporations. The accompanying budget is divided into capital costs, operation of the Orange - Carrboro- Chapel Hillsystem, and general expenses of Public Information Network, inc. Last year we approached you for a portion of capital costs estimated at $20,000. We are now looking to funding from grants for this expense. We are also looking to grants for support for our organization, whose function is establishing and servicing of local PIN networks. Included in this funding would be a systems administrator who would be an expert at setting up PIN networks. During the first year, this administrator would be occupied almost exclusively with the Orange - Carrboro- Chapel Hill system. Local governments, however, should be responsible for the costs of operating the system. This includes expenses such as rent and power, which might readily be included with other govern- ment- supported activities. As shown in the accompanying budget, we estimate that it will cost ap- proximately $30,000 for the first full year's operation of a single system which would cover Orange county. This includes ten or more phone lines and assumes that interconnection among the various phone companies is arranged in cooperation with the county. We note that the population of the rural county, plus Hillsborough, is about 42% of the total county and therefore are asking the county for operational funding at the rang of 42 % of $30,000, or $12,600 a year. Since our schedule (shown on page 5) indicates that equipment installation could not start until September, we are requesting $10,500 for operations during the ten months starting Sep- tember first, 1991. Sincerely, William R. Hutchins, President 5605 Brisbane Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 (919) 968 - 4292