Title
Update on McKinney Broadband Initiative
Summary
COUNCIL GOAL: Direction for Economic & Strategic Growth | Enhance the Quality of Life in McKinney
MEETING DATE: February 7, 2023
DEPARTMENT: City Manager's Office
CONTACT: Trevor Minyard, Director of Strategic Services
RECOMMENDED CITY COUNCIL ACTION:
* N/A
ITEM SUMMARY:
* The City Council will consider acting on a resolution at the February 7th, 2023 regular meeting that would authorize the city manager to enter into a nonexclusive license agreement with SiFi Networks McKinney, LLC to deliver on the four recommendations of the Broadband Assessment Report and Recommendations adopted by the city council February 15th, 2022.
* The City Council approved a resolution at the August 16th, 2022 regular meeting that allowed for the city to begin negotiations with SiFi Networks McKinney, LLC, and subsequently extended the period in December for an additional 60 days. Staff has utilized the negotiation period to develop the proposed license agreement on the February 7th, 2023 regular agenda.
* The Broadband Assessment Report and Recommendations, completed in partnership with HR Green, Inc., provided recommendations and summarized the current condition of broadband access in the City of McKinney. Specifically, the plan recommends,
o Community infrastructure base: Work with the provider community to develop a tech base that moves towards a FTTP model.
o City facilities: Expand the current, city owned fiber ring to City facilities that could benefit from connectivity but have not had fiber deployed to them.
o City economic development: In addition to having excellent connectivity that could come from Recommendation 1, the McKinney Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) could initiate pilot projects to enhance certain properties and attract certain businesses or business types.
o Adoption: There are people and groups in McKinney who might have access to broadband, but because of financial reasons, language ...
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