Update on Santa Barbara County Telecommunications Planning
South Coast Telecommunications Alliance (SCTA)
May 22, 1997 Meeting Minutes
Held at General Research Corporation International, Santa Barbara CAAttendance: Approximately 25
Moderator: New SCTA Coordinator: John Wiley (applause)
Speakers: Zandra Cholmondeley, Special Projects Coordinator in the Santa Barbara County Administrators Office, and Jerry Lorden, Executive Director of the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG)
Welcome:
After an opportunity for refreshments and informal networking, John opened the meeting by offering congratulations to George Thompson on the beautiful GRCI remodel. John also reminded people about the refreshments in the back of the room and indicated that special "early bird" refreshments are available for people who get to SCTA meetings early.
Introductions:
Self-introductions around the room. Several new people were in attendance. John indicated that instructions for getting on the SCTA e-mail ListServers were available at the back of the room.
Announcements:
Internet Consumer Timeline: Dana Simmons, FindSVP, announced the availability of a new Internet Consumer Timeline. He distributed complimentary copies to interested people in the meeting.
Censorship and the Internet: Cathy McCammon announced a July 29th ACLU Forum, "Censorship and the Internet," 7:00 - 9:00 PM, at the Faulkner Gallery of the Santa Barbara Public Library. For more information call: 966-0536.
Libraries On-Line: Mike Woodhill announced that he has been working on getting the libraries wired. The City provides library service from Solvang to Carpinteria. The new Compaq systems are up. There is Telnet down the cable to router directly to the Internet "Cloud" to SLO to IBM and Black Gold. They have their domain name and web pages are in preparation. The libraries will have one icon for the Black Gold "card catalog" system and another for free Internet Web access.
TeleCommunity II: Joe Mortz announced that a planning meeting for TeleCommunity II would be conducted next Thursday at 7:00 PM at the e-cafe.
SCTA Org Meeting: Jan Ballard announced that an SCTA-ORG meeting would be conducted at 6:00 PM (one hour earlier) also at e-cafe.
Formal Presentation: Update on Santa Barbara County Telecommunications Planning
John Wiley introduced Zandra Cholmondeley. She was charged with leading a task force to bring the County onto the new virtual freeway. She envisions telecommunications as a way to reduce County costs and increase County public service delivery.
Zandra Cholmondeley, Special Products Coordinator, Santa Barbara County
Zandra opened by remarking that at the last meeting she was in the middle of the study process and could not foresee the outcome and end product . After that meeting she was challenged that: "What Government does best is to provide leadership..and even if the county has no money for investment it could and should provide leadership in local telecommunications planning."
The Telecommunications Task Force set out over a two-month period to create a draft policy and a planning process to develop a Telecommunications Plan. Due to the project timeline, the Task Force decided to focus on the needs and uses of telecommunications planning from an internal perspective which includes an overview of the County's network infrastructure and desired connectivity. The group also studied the current and potential use of the available telecommunications resources - primarily the Internet. The Task Force Study was concluded in January and presented to the Board of Supervisors in February. The report is online at:
http://www.silcom.com/~sbcounty/telecom/index.htm
The Task Force reviewed current telecommunications service and proposed services, which Santa Barbara Community could expect. It concluded that there would be an increasingly competitive environment in the provision of telephone services, data networks, long distance service, Internet and wireless services such as cellular and Personal Communication Services (PCS). Cellular is well established, PCS is coming on, Digital PCS (AT&T) is is a combination of PCS services overlaying the cellular network. There will be a push for new cellular antenna sites, direct satellite access, and fiber optics. GST Pacific Lightwave has laid fiber from LA to Ventura. The group also talked to cable companies. There may be "choice" in Santa Barbara.
However, unlike Ventura County, where there is competition in the Thousand Oaks area for cable television services, franchise competition for local Cable TV services is unlikely to emerge over the next 2-3 years. Direct satellite television service is likely to capture a small share of this market as the prices of satellite equipment and service are lowered.
The Task Force noted that the County has public land and ROW that may be appropriate for telecommunications infrastructure. BART in San Francisco has raised millions of dollars for the public by leasing ROW. TELCOS have successfully placed law restricting the County from charging for use of ROW -- except for road damage. The County does not know what the TELCOS have placed in County roads. It needs a GIS mapping system. This recommendation is under consideration by the County ISAC (Information Strategic Advisory Council).
Due to the demand for new antenna sites, Santa Barbara County will also need to regulate effectively to ensure that redundant, possibly unsightly towers are not prominent all over Santa Barbara. The County has been challenged in its dual role of leasing cell sites and also regulating placement. The County already is faced with this situation (e.g. public projects currently go through the environmental review process).
Cable Franchise: Falcon Cablevision will expire in 1999, Cox Cable 1999, Comcast 2000. The cable companies lobby effectively in Washington to minimize the role of local government in cable franchising. Contrarily, counties and cities negotiate independently for franchise agreements. As far as we know, in four years only one city (Sturgis, Kentucky) has been able to drop a cable franchisor.
Zandra indicated that most people want more TV channels -- not necessarily two-way high bandwidth applications. Groups like SCTA can help educate the public about the opportunities of telecommunications.
A meeting attendee remarked that many high tech companies were not included in the cable franchise survey. Zandra indicated that the survey was "statistically correct." Concern was expressed that the high tech companies are not adequately represented. Zandra remarked about a possible perceived bias if these companies were treated specially.
There will be room in the County process, for all segments to be heard There was discussion about the best way to predict cable needs for the community. "Public access" is important in the City negotiations but, cable companies are no longer required to pay for operational expenses in new franchise agreements (1992 Cable Act).
Right now Cox has a fiber backbone and a 750 MHz plant for most areas, however only 550 MHz in Santa Barbara. 750 MHz is expected. Franchise issues are fiber optic links, physical plant upgrade, public access funding. As a user of telecommunications technology, the County would like to link its north county facilities with fiber optics (provided by Comcast) by the end of 1997 --However this will be spread over a 2 year period. Santa Maria, Solvang, Buellton ane among the cities to be linked This would be used for data transfer, video conferencing, network of social services agencies, etc.
The Board directed that a County Internet Task Force be established to develop a County Home Page. Team Leader Robert Ooley and Dev Vrat were present. Also present was Tom Doolittle, Operations Manager from County Data Services. He is responsible for hardware for the County system including the County's 80 sites, T-1 connection and fiber. This team reported that as a result of the Telecommunications Planning Report and the development of the County Home Page, there is now a groundswell of interest among County departments to get on the Web.
http://www.silcom.com/~sbcounty/
Zandra exhibited the City of Austin Texas Website. "News of the Day" changes daily and features road closures and other up-to-date events and links to everything in Austin. This is a model she would like the County to work toward. This has the potential to transform life in significant ways. Attempting to use telecommunications technology, Austin invested in broad band fiber optics to develop an electronic democracy. However, a city is a discrete area. It is more difficult to "wire" a larger County area. Other "virtual communities" include the LA Freenet and Silicon Valley's Smart Valley Project.
The Task Force recognized that discussions regarding implementation of community-wide telecommunication policies extend beyond the County and might be best undertaken on a regional basis since the community includes the seven cities as well as the unincorporated area of the County.
The "Smart Communities" concept, is now being implemented in San Diego and other areas in California and the country were recommended as a starting point for discussion. In the San Diego project, Caltrans was the lead. In Santa Barbara County, SBCAG is responsible for regional issues such as transportation. The Public Works Department is responsible for local streets. Therefore it seemed logical the SBCAG should coordinate the effort to develop the Smart Communities concept in Santa Barbara County.
Zandra recognizes that government needs to be in the forefront or it will be left behind. At the last meeting she was challenged to develop a "leadership" role for government. Tonight she challenges us to help to develop a public/private "Partnership."
Zandra introduced Jerry Lorden. He is the Executive Director of SBCAG. It is now his task is to help the Smart Communities Project get going Countywide.
Jerry Lorden, Executive Director of SBCAG
Zandra is a tough act to follow. SBCAG is formed of the seven cities of the County plus five members of Board of Supervisors. It deals mostly with regional transportation and other inter-jurisdictional issues. Supervisor Tom Urbanske brought the telecommunications issue to the SBCAG Board some time ago and SBCAG recognized it as an important emerging technology. The County then developed it into the Telecommunications Task Force Report. Jerry remarked that Zandra's report is the County's baby that was set on his doorstep. It is now his job to raise the baby and put it through college. The question is, "How?"
He recommended, and SBCAG Board agreed to develop an Intergovernmental Study Group. It is to be a planning and policy-developing group -- not decision-making, not technical. It will consist of senior staff people. Local jurisdictions are currently being asked to appoint representatives. The group will look for common issues; follow precepts of San Diego State. Once "buy-in" is achieved, then initial concepts will be sent out to spin off groups of private sector, users, and community at large. SBCAG staff may be viewed as the process facilitator.
Questions and Answers:
In response to a question from the floor, Jerry remarked that he hoped that a "Smart Community Concept" could provide a better way for government to listen to the community. Right now public policy may be driven by small but vocal minorities.
Concern was expressed that potential policy makers on the Intergovernmental Study Group may not know anything about telecommunications and its potential. Zandra responded that one of the first jobs of this group will be to "get educated" just as the Telecommunications Task Force did. Carpinteria is currently going through a broad visioning process. They will be able to bring this input to the new group.
Adjourn to Informal Networking
This SCTA meeting was supported in part by a contribution from Connected Systems.
Next meeting is Thursday, June 26, 7:00 pm
Topic: "Local Internet Service Provider Update"Note: Change in Meeting day, and
Location of meeting within remodeled GRCI Complex
(watch for new map on SCTA website).Minutes by Dev Vrat: imago@silcom.com
SCTA Home Page: http://www.silcom.com/scta/
SCTA Minutes Index: http://www.silcom.com/scta/minutes.html