6.3 EDSR 11-16-2015 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Zimmerman Fire Department high speed access to the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) and records management system hosted by Sherburne County. This project does lay the ground work for the expansion of a fiber network in Zimmerman that can provide Wi-Fi at public locations.The project is estimated to cost approximately$36,840. Staff presented the proposal to the Blandin Broadband Committee, and received approval to apply for grant funding through the Blanding Foundation.We are requesting a grant in the amount of$10,000 which, the cities of Zimmerman and Elk River will split the difference equally. This effort is based on the belief that the cities of Elk River and Zimmerman can benefit from shared services. One example is remarkably improved internet access for the City of Zimmerman and the ability to offer programing in partnership with the MN Workforce Center, Chamber of Commerce and other service-oriented groups. If successful,we anticipate a thorough department-by- department evaluation of existing services and the opportunities to share desired services with increased efficiency and/or a reduced cost. Public WiFi at Rivers Edge Park,Downtown Elk River The City of Elk River Parks and Recreation Department is currently working on the expansion of Rivers Edge Commons Park located in downtown Elk River. The planning and design of the expansion are currently underway with construction expected for this spring 2016. WiFi access will not be in the basic design or construction documents but will be an addition to the overall park improvements. Installing WiFi access gets us closer to bridging the digital divide by allowing the public to explore apps, share images and access city services on a free network. Wi Fi will greatly enhance the experience of coming downtown,improving the viability of the park,access to the river and connecting more residents to the internet. Staff presented a request for grant funding in the amount of$10,000 from the Blandin Broadband Community Program to install WiFi at the Rivers Edge Commons Park in downtown Elk River. The committee approved the request to go on to the next round and submit a full grant application to the Blandin Foundation. Sherburne County Revolving Loan Fund Program The Sherburne County EDA recommended approval of the Sherburne County Revolving Loan Fund program to the Sherburne County Board of Commissioners at their November 17 meeting. Sherburne County will dedicate $250,000 to the RLF program. The Initiative Foundation will administer the program. Financial Impact None Attachments None