Referred to: The Economic Development, Tourism, Housing, Planning & Transit

Committee (Chairman Briggs and Legislators Allen, Archer, Litts, Maloney, Maio,

and Wishnick)

Legislator Lynn Archer and Legislator Provenzano offer the following:

WHEREAS, closing the Digital Divide is vital to the economic prosperity,

educational growth and quality of life for residents in Ulster County; and

WHEREAS, the Ulster County Legislature believes that in order to compete in

today’s digital world that high-speed Internet access – referred to generically as

“broadband” which includes both wireline and wireless technologies – is an essential

21st Century infrastructure that will enhance economic competitiveness, improve

productivity and access to education, decrease impacts on the environment and

increase advancement opportunities for our residents; and

WHEREAS, many Ulster County residents and businesses currently are

hampered by the lack of access to Broadband and the data transfer speeds necessary

to support today and tomorrow’s business and educational models; in fact, some of

our more rural areas do not have any access to wireline and/or wireless and in some

cases areas that are reported to have wireline internet do not; and

WHEREAS, broadband access is a multi-faceted economic development

engine; consumer access drives entrepreneurship, increases education and healthcare

access, contributes to environmental conservation, and equalizes economic

opportunities between urban and rural areas; institutional access to high-speed

broadband attracts new business and capital investment, increases innovation and

creates more jobs; and

WHEREAS, broadband technologies can be used to update and increase

effectiveness of emergency response, law enforcement, and other public security and

safety services, to better meet the needs of our first responders and residents in times

of crisis; and

WHEREAS, by harnessing the increased productivity derived from expanding

broadband throughout Ulster County we promote online access to government, its

services and functions; enable distance learning and access to online textbooks; and

provides increased quality of life for all residents; and

- Page 2 -

Resolution No. 346 September 23, 2014

Establishing A Broadband Policy For The County Of Ulster

WHEREAS, the Ulster County Legislature has determined that a plan for and

to facilitate deployment of Broadband across the county, especially in rural parts of

the county without current access, as critical infrastructure, is comparable with other

essential infrastructure such as water, sewer, and transportation, which are needed for

economic development; and

WHEREAS, there is significant State and Federal funding available for

expansion of high speed broadband and that access to such funding requires a policy

of support and plan of research and implementation; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Ulster County Legislature hereby establishes a policy to

develop a comprehensive Broadband strategy that covers the current and future needs

of its residents, including those in rural areas, and major sectors within the county,

Agriculture, Business, Education, Government, Healthcare, Public Safety and

Utilities; and, be it further

RESOLVED, that the Ulster County Legislature hereby requests that the

County Executive develop a plan in furtherance of this policy, and the plan should

include a one year, two year and five year plus proposal for broadband expansion

into areas that do not have access and improvement in service in other areas based on

the collective needs of the residents of Ulster County and in the sectors outlined

above,

and moves its adoption

 ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

 AYES: 20 NOES: 0

 (Absent: Legislators Litts, Loughran, and Maloney)

Passed Committee: The Economic Development, Tourism, Housing, Planning &

Transit on September 22, 2014

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

NONE 

- Page 3 -

Resolution No. 346 September 23, 2014

Establishing A Broadband Policy For The County Of Ulster

STATE OF NEW YORK

 ss:

COUNTY OF ULSTER

This is to certify that I, the undersigned Clerk of the Legislature of the County of Ulster have compared the

foregoing resolution with the original resolution now on file in the office of said clerk, and which was adopted by said

Legislature on the 23rd Day of September, 2014, and that the same is a true and correct transcript of said resolution and of

the whole thereof.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of the County of Ulster this 25th Day of

September in the year Two Thousand and Fourteen.

|s| Victoria A. Fabella

Victoria A. Fabella, Clerk

Ulster County Legislature

Submitted to the County Executive this Approved by the County Executive this

25th Day of September, 2014. 2

nd Day of October, 2014.

|s| Victoria A. Fabella |s| Michael P. Hein

Victoria A. Fabella, Clerk Michael P. Hein, County Executive

Ulster County Legislature