By Ruth Melville

On May 12, State Representative Maria Horn joined the Economic Development Commission (EDC) meeting by Zoom to discuss current efforts at the state level to bring high-speed broadband to underserved parts of Connecticut.

Horn said she had recently talked with Kevin Pisacich, the new director of the Office of Telecommunications and Broadband, part of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. In effect, there are two pots of money that will be available to improve internet connectivity in the state: the first, about $43 million, will come from ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds; the second, about $100 million, will come from the federal infrastructure bill (Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, or IIJA).

Horn said once the state has received final word from the federal government about the requirements to apply for IIJA money, it will send out a Request for Information to all broadband organizations. This should happen by early June.

At the same time, Horn added, there are two initiatives ongoing—one state, one federal— to map out current broadband availability in the state. The Northwest Corner has the biggest infrastructure need.

EDC members agreed that their first step would be to set up a subcommittee (Jim Nelson and EDC co-chairs Michael Selleck and Libby Borden) to meet with Northwest Connect’s Kim Maxwell, who spearheaded previous efforts to bring fiber-optic broadband to this corner of the state. 

Before signing off from the Zoom call, Horn answered questions about promoting tourism, improving public transportation, school consolidation and school funding formulas. 

Moving on to its regular business, the EDC approved spending $436 to pay for the Weekend in Norfolk fundraising letter, and up to $300 for an insert in Norfolk Now about this summer’s Friday Nights on the Green.

First Selectman Matt Riiska reported that the EDC has so far received 15 responses to its letter to town businesses encouraging them to apply for ARPA funds. The preliminary requests come to $215,000. Riiska said that the town will receive approximate $240,000 each year for two years, of which about $150,000 has already been allocated (for the replacement of the Botelle slide and a generator at the sewer district). The issue of how to distribute the funds equitably will need further discussion.

Riiska also said that he had had a conversation with Dave Rosenfeld and Tyler Grill of GoodWorks Entertainment, which owns and operates Infinity Hall, about ways to increase revenue at their Norfolk venue. Business has been slow to pick up after the pandemic, but the owners told Riiska that they want to maintain the building and keep a presence in Norfolk. They’re considering a range of things to try: showing films, booking different kinds of acts, expanding restaurant hours and partnering with the Yale Summer School of Music.

The June 9 meeting of the EDC will be in person at Town Hall.