DCEDC Planning for Increased Broadband

Door County Economic Development’s Technology Council met recently and outlined three parallel strategies to help bring fast, affordable broadband to areas where it is lacking. “Broadband issues are raised in every residential and visitor survey, as well as during our business retention meetings,” said Jim Schuessler, DCEDC’s executive director. “Students are attending well-wired schools and often head home to residences with little or no access to Wifi, visitors to our county are frustrated with download speeds, and some health care is being delivered via internet, so we must solve this now.” The DCEDC Board of Directors earlier this year and unanimously directed “DCEDC to take a leadership role in bringing together solution-seekers to create a plan for improving broadband in Door County.” Since community surveys are an important step in the process, each county municipality was provided with a survey to distribute to their constituents. “Liberty Grove is already complete, and we know that the Village of Sister Bay, Town of Sturgeon Bay and City of Sturgeon Bay have plans to survey their residents,” said DCEDC’s Economic Development Manager Paige Funkhouser. Residents that have not yet received a survey are encouraged to reach out to their municipal office. The group will meet again in February, where they will provide updates on the status of each component of the plan.