Municipal Communications Utility Governance Referendum
Voters in Maquoketa will find the following question on the ballot of the municipal election on Tuesday, November 7, 2017:
Shall the management and control of the Municipal Communications Utility of the City of Maquoketa, Iowa, be placed in a Board of Trustees consisting of five trustees who serve as the Board of Trustees for the Maquoketa Municipal Electric Utility?
The referendum will determine whether it is the Maquoketa City Council or a Board of Trustees will be responsible for the management and control of the telecommunications utility and decisions regarding the potential exploration and construction of a fiber-to-the-home network for video, broadband internet, and/or voice services.
Background
In 2005, citizens of Maquoketa approved a referendum to establish a municipal telecommunications utility. The referendum did not specify how the telecommunications utility should be governed. As a result, under Iowa law, governance defaults to the City Council.
In 2016, Maquoketa Municipal Electric Utility (MMEU), interested in the potential applications of a city-wide telecommunications infrastructure, conducted a Community Engagement and Education Project to identify community interest in building and implementing a fiber-to-the-home (FTTP) network operated as a city utility. That study showed a strong level of interest among citizens in exploring the concept further.
The next logical step in that exploration would be to perform a feasibility study and business case to identify costs for a community-wide fiber network and the operation of the telecommunications utility with video, broadband internet, and/or voice services, and how it would perform financially.
It was decided by the City Council and the MMEU Board of Trustees that before proceeding with a full feasibility study, it would be in the best interests of the community to determine whether a Board of Trustees should manage and control the telecommunications utility, including leading future efforts to explore a FTTP network and an operating telecommunications utility. As a result, the issue was placed on the November ballot to allow voters to decide before additional steps are taken.
If the November 2017 referendum is approved by a majority of voters (50% plus 1 vote), the telecommunications utility will be placed under the supervision of a Board of Trustees (consisting of the same trustees as the members of the MMEU Board of Trustees). If the referendum is not approved, the telecommunications utility will remain under the supervision of the Maquoketa City Council. It would then be up to the authorized governing body to move the project forward or not.
In 2016, Maquoketa Municipal Electric Utility (MMEU), interested in the potential applications of a city-wide telecommunications infrastructure, conducted a Community Engagement and Education Project to identify community interest in building and implementing a fiber-to-the-home (FTTP) network operated as a city utility. That study showed a strong level of interest among citizens in exploring the concept further.
The next logical step in that exploration would be to perform a feasibility study and business case to identify costs for a community-wide fiber network and the operation of the telecommunications utility with video, broadband internet, and/or voice services, and how it would perform financially.
It was decided by the City Council and the MMEU Board of Trustees that before proceeding with a full feasibility study, it would be in the best interests of the community to determine whether a Board of Trustees should manage and control the telecommunications utility, including leading future efforts to explore a FTTP network and an operating telecommunications utility. As a result, the issue was placed on the November ballot to allow voters to decide before additional steps are taken.
If the November 2017 referendum is approved by a majority of voters (50% plus 1 vote), the telecommunications utility will be placed under the supervision of a Board of Trustees (consisting of the same trustees as the members of the MMEU Board of Trustees). If the referendum is not approved, the telecommunications utility will remain under the supervision of the Maquoketa City Council. It would then be up to the authorized governing body to move the project forward or not.
How Other Municipal Telecommunications in Iowa Are Governed
Iowa has two dozen operational municipal telecommunications utilities. Most of these utilities are managed by a separate Board or Commission separate from the City Council. Often, that Board is the same governing body as the electric utility. Two communities-Bellevue and Hawarden-have their telecommunications utilities directly managed by their City Councils.
Voting Information
The following are the polling places for the municipal election on November 7, 2017, including the communications utility governance referendum
- 1st Ward: Maquoketa Senior Citizen’s Bldg.
- 2nd Ward: Skilled Unit Lobby, County Hospital
- 3rd Ward: Maquoketa City Hall
- 4th Ward: North Lobby, Courthouse
- 5th Ward: Maquoketa Fire Station Meeting Room
Maquoketa Community Broadband Engagement and Education Project Report
The consultant team that conduced the Community Broadband Engagement and Education Project in Maquoketa has prepared a report on its findings. The report was presented to the Maquoketa Municipal Electric Utility Board of Trustees on December 21, 2016.
Click the link below to download and read the report, which includes complete results of the Community Broadband Survey. (PDF, 3.7 MB).
Click the link below to download and read the report, which includes complete results of the Community Broadband Survey. (PDF, 3.7 MB).
Maquoketa Report Overview
The video below provides an overview of the Maquoketa Community Broadband Engagement and Education Project report that was presented to the MMEU Board of Trustes on December 21, 2016.
Between 1994 and 2005, over two dozen communities in Iowa established municipal telecommunications utilities and constructed networks to serve those citizens. These utilities have a proven track record of providing reliable and affordable voice, video, and data services to their residents and putting those communities in charge of their own technological futures.
In 2005, citizens of Maquoketa approved a referendum to establish a municipal telecommunications utility. Like many other communities that took that initial step, the concept was not explored further. Although legally authorized by voters under Iowa law, a locally-owned network has not been built and citizens have relied on existing private providers for their broadband needs.
Ten years later the leadership at Maquoketa Municipal Electric Utility (MMEU), concerned that the community may not be receiving the quality of telecommunications services needed to ensure its long-term health and viability, joined with ten other Iowa communities to study the feasibility of a fiber network to interconnect the communities. This network, the Iowa Fiber Alliance, is now moving from concept to reality, and its existence will greatly enhance the viability of new local fiber networks in communities like Maquoketa.
As a public power community, Maquoketa also has a strong interest in telecommunications to facilitate new smart grid applications in the future that will increase electric efficiency and lower costs of operations. A municipal fiber project would offer great value to the electric utility for its smart grid needs now and in the future.
In 2005, citizens of Maquoketa approved a referendum to establish a municipal telecommunications utility. Like many other communities that took that initial step, the concept was not explored further. Although legally authorized by voters under Iowa law, a locally-owned network has not been built and citizens have relied on existing private providers for their broadband needs.
Ten years later the leadership at Maquoketa Municipal Electric Utility (MMEU), concerned that the community may not be receiving the quality of telecommunications services needed to ensure its long-term health and viability, joined with ten other Iowa communities to study the feasibility of a fiber network to interconnect the communities. This network, the Iowa Fiber Alliance, is now moving from concept to reality, and its existence will greatly enhance the viability of new local fiber networks in communities like Maquoketa.
As a public power community, Maquoketa also has a strong interest in telecommunications to facilitate new smart grid applications in the future that will increase electric efficiency and lower costs of operations. A municipal fiber project would offer great value to the electric utility for its smart grid needs now and in the future.
Fiber Town Hall Meeting
A recording of the Fiber Town Hall meeting held on August 9, 2016 is below. Thank you to Maquoketa Public Access for taping this session!
Community Broadband Engagement and Education Project
New Hampton Light Plant has initiated a project designed to explore whether or not their is sufficient interest in a community-owned fiber optic broadband network to conduct a full-scale feasibility study.
There are four key elements of the Community Broadband Engagement and Education Project.
- Engagement: Though meetings, social media, and other methods, we will open a dialogue with the community about the possibility of a community-owned network.
- Education: Provide community members with information about the importance of fast, affordable, reliable, and ubiquitous broadband services.
- Measurement: Though surveys and forums, measure whether citizens want New Hampton Municipal Light Plant to take the next steps in the evaluation process, which would include a preliminary network design, cost estimate, and business case.
- Evaluation and Discussion: A final report will be prepared based on the findings of the Community Broadband Engagement and Education Project, providing New Hampton Light Plant with the information they need.
Resources for Maquoketa Residents
Click the Facebook icon above to visit the Maquoketa Community Broadband Facebook page (@maquoketabroadband). LIKE the page and follow the discussion with fellow citizens!
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FAQ'sYou may have a lot of questions about the what a community-owned fiber network would mean. On this page we'll keep an updated list of questions we receive and answers to those questions.
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Schedule
Several meetings will be held to give citizens an opportunity to learn more and share their input. Check this page for the latest schedule.
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