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18 <br /> Public Comments: <br /> NONE <br /> A motion was made by Commissioner Dorosin, seconded by Commissioner McKee <br /> to close the Public Hearing. <br /> VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> A motion was made by Commissioner Dorosin, seconded by Commissioner Greene for <br /> the Board to adopt the proposed amendments by approving the Statement of Consistency <br /> outlined in Attachment 3 and the Unified Development Ordinance as outlined in Attachment 4. <br /> VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> 6. Regular Agenda <br /> a. Broadband Initiatives Update and Approval of Proposed Agreement with Open <br /> Broadband for Wireless Broadband Appurtenances on County Facilities <br /> The Board received an update on the County's current broadband initiatives and a timeline <br /> of relevant events; and considered voting to approve and authorize the Manager to sign the <br /> agreement thereby allowing Open Broadband, LLC no cost access to County facilities for <br /> the purpose of appropriately attaching equipment in order to provide broadband services to <br /> rural Orange County residents. <br /> Jim Northup, Chief Information Officer, presented this item. He called attention to <br /> the information below: <br /> BACKGROUND: <br /> BROADBAND INITIATIVES UPDATE <br /> Since 2014, Orange County Information Technologies (IT) has been tasked with working <br /> toward improving broadband technology for Orange County residents. Many of the tasks <br /> below were accomplished through collaboration with residents, business partners, State <br /> and local representatives, government agencies, and towns. <br /> Orange County IT has been administering the Open Broadband contract with an eye toward <br /> first customer sign ups in April-May of 2019. Some of the key deliverables from now till <br /> then: <br /> • continue reviewing Open Broadband Project financials (County) <br /> • negotiating tower agreements (Hillsborough / Open Broadband) <br /> • negotiating tower agreements (Orange County/ Open Broadband) <br /> • field verification of Open Broadband equipment purchases and configurations <br /> The largest current initiative currently underway is the $500,000 Broadband Initiative, <br /> whereby the County sought Request for Proposals (RFP) from Internet Service Providers <br /> (ISPs) on how to improve broadband in both unserved and underserved areas in Orange <br /> County. The Request for Proposals was released in January of 2018. The intent was to find <br /> a vendor that could improve broadband speed and services in the rural areas of the <br /> County. <br />