Letter to the Editor: Broadband in Manchester Township – What’s Going On?
September 23, 2020
To the Editor:
The issue of poor internet connectivity in our rural communities is one that those of us in Manchester Township are all too aware of. Among other things, Covid has exposed the disparities that exist with digital connectivity. What we’ve known for years is now glaringly evident to everyone — what was once considered a luxury is actually a basic need, regardless of your address. Remote learning and telecommuting have become mandatory and we are being left behind simply because we can’t communicate. As a Manchester Township Trustee and our appointed representative on the Washtenaw County Broadband Task Force (BBTF), I’d like to provide information and updates on the work we’re doing.
What is Broadband and who has it? Broadband internet is defined by the Federal Communication Commission as 25 Mbp/s download/10Mbp/s up. These speeds allow us to video conference, attend virtual classes, pay bills, visit doctors via telemedicine, shop and more. Regarding access, Manchester Township is both rural and suburban — the Village of Manchester is contained within our boundaries and their residents are fortunate enough to have access to broadband/high speed internet. Once outside the village limits, though, over 1,000 homes do not have the infrastructure necessary to connect. In fact, rural Manchester Township is the most unserved township in Washtenaw County.
History of Broadband in Manchester Township: The township began to evaluate the feasibility of bringing broadband internet to every single rural home about 3 years ago, and I’m proud to be the one championing the effort. A feasibility study was commissioned, and the subsequent pre-engineering report indicated that constructing the infrastructure to yield broadband access for every rural resident of Manchester Township is estimated to cost approximately $10 million dollars. Although no one wanted to put a price on need and convenience, the township was left with a difficult decision. Even though we explored a variety of funding mechanisms that would prevent us from having to ask for a millage, in the end, it was the most compelling solution. Unfortunately, millage laws in the State of Michigan dictate that as part of the township, the residents of the village would also be assessed and responsible to pay for a service they already have access to. This solution was a no-win, so the township board was forced to accept the feasibility report, and hope that technology, public awareness and legislation would quickly catch up with us and help us to find a more practical way to achieve connectivity for our residents — a solution that does not require our neighbors in the village to pay, as well.
What is being done now? Through me, the township board has continued to stay involved and updated on the status of rural broadband, and we are advocating for positive change. The Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners has been incredibly supportive of this initiative and has challenged the Broadband Task Force to close the digital divide in the county by 2022. I’m proud to serve alongside our County Commissioner, Shannon Beeman, as well as appointees from 14 other rural townships in the county, including Bridgewater, Freedom and Sharon, all of whom share our struggles.
What is the Task Force doing? The Task Force believes there’s strength in numbers and its members are committed to working together to help all the county’s rural townships. Earlier this year, we conducted a survey, asking you to report your level of need, any school aged children in your home and most importantly, what your connectivity speeds are at home. The results of this survey were astounding and in direct conflict with the Federal Communication Commission’s broadband coverage maps. This same scenario repeated itself in 14 other rural townships here in Washtenaw County. The information we gathered was used in a countywide pre-engineering (feasibility) study and will help us to identify a private partner and position these 15 townships to be ready to apply for federal broadband grant funding later this year. That work is well underway and anticipated to be complete by the end of October. Grant opportunities are generally released in late December, awards come in late the following spring.
Is the Task Force doing anything else? Yes, the Task Force is also working with our local, state and federal elected officials to advocate for our communities. We encourage internet providers to listen and understand our challenges, and I’m proud to report that Mercury Wireless, a company out of Kansas City has received a preliminary recommendation from the State of Michigan’s Connecting Communities grant. They proposed bringing high speed wireless internet to a portion of Manchester township, and if granted final approval, they must be fully operational by September of 2023. You’ll note, I said a ‘portion’ — as much as the township board wanted an ‘all or nothing’ approach to this problem, I’m grateful our needs are being recognized and hopeful that either expansion or other providers will follow suit and complete coverage within our boundaries. I will continue to work toward that end and will be inviting Mercury Wireless to a Manchester Township board meeting after the formalities with the state are finalized. I’d encourage you to join us so you can meet their leaders, talk to them and help them to understand we all need access, the sooner, the better. Please watch the Township’s website http://www.twp-manchester.org/ for more information.
What about our kids? Manchester Township is the most unserved in the county and there’s no doubt our children are the most impacted, and at a distinct disadvantage, especially now; I know WISD and our schools are actively working on this issue. The Manchester Township hall has a hotspot behind the building that is free to use — offering an additional access point for residents who may need to connect for work or help their children with homework. Finally, the Manchester District Library has internet workstations, hotspots available for short term loan to members, as well as parking lot WiFi access. I’ll be the first to acknowledge, these are not perfect solutions, but there are a lot of dedicated people working to help provide a permanent fix.
Is more information available? I update the township board at every monthly meeting on broadband related information that includes recent events, legislation and/or rumors — plus anything that helps to keep us engaged with, and on the radar of internet providers. I’d encourage you to join us. We have two opportunities for public comment, and the Township Board needs to hear from you. Information, engagement and unity is so powerful, together we can solve the disparity that exists in our community and get broadband access to every single resident. We meet the second Tuesday of each month, 7 pm at the Township Hall (Fire Station), 275 S. Macomb Street. Covid has impacted our meeting format though, so please check our website as we’re still meeting virtually — or at a local park.
You may follow the work of the Broadband Task Force at https://www.washtenaw.org/2867/Broadband-Task-Force. You will find the results of the survey, including graphic representation of coverage, FCC coverage maps, as well as the survey’s executive summary. You will also find a link to Mercury’s grant application; and you can sign up to receive alerts whenever new information is posted. This group meets on the 3rd Thursday morning of each month, 8 am, and due to Covid, via Zoom. There’s a link on the website that will get you into the meeting in just one click.
So, when will we have better internet in Manchester Township? We all need broadband now more than ever and I wish I could give a specific date for all of us to finally be connected. The reality of the matter is that this is a large, complex problem. Through the support of the County Board of Commissioners and our township’s participation on the Broadband Task Force though, we’re making incremental progress. 100% high-speed access by 2022 is a lofty goal, but one this group is committed to achieving. Your support is appreciated. Of course, if you have questions, thoughts, or ideas — or you’ve heard rumors specific to our township, and/or want to verify claims made on social media, you may contact me at TrusteeMoutinho@gmail.com — I’d welcome the opportunity to chat.
Lisa Moutinho
Manchester Township Trustee
Views expressed in any Letter to the Editor are always exclusively those of the author. Do you have something you want Manchester to know? Send your Letter to the Editor to themanchestermirror@gmail.com.
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