Kerkman announces creation of Kenosha County  Broadband Advisory Committee

(KENOSHA, COUNTY)Kenosha County Executive Samantha Kerkman today announced the establishment of a committee tasked with enhancing efforts to improve access to broadband internet service throughout the county, particularly in areas that are now underserved by high-speed internet providers.

The Kenosha County Community Broadband Advisory Committee’s mission includes providing critical input on developing a comprehensive plan for facilitating broadband development and delivery.

The committee will generate informed recommendations to local, state, and federal legislators, community leaders and private organizations.

Kerkman said the advisory panel is also directed to foster collaboration, to encourage coordination of efforts where appropriate, and to provide a community forum to give updates on known private-sector projects.

“This committee is all about sharing information and collaborating, to encourage and enable private investment in broadband infrastructure,” Kerkman said. “I look forward to productive discussions that will lead us toward finding solutions for areas of the county and communities that now lack access to high-speed internet service.”

This committee is a follow-up to the county’s ongoing efforts to collect internet speed test data from residents, which in turn can be used in private providers’ efforts to receive federal and state support to expand their services.

Residents are still encouraged to take this survey, which is available at https://www.kenoshacounty.org/quickconnect.

More details about it are available at that webpage.

Kerkman’s appointments to the Broadband Advisory Committee will be made over the coming months. Under an executive order that she issued today, the panel is to include members representing:

 Kenosha County Board (one designee)
 Kenosha Unified School District (one designee)
 School districts west of Interstate 94 (three designees)
 Higher education (three designees)
 Municipal and community leaders (seven designees)
 Regional economic or planning organizations (one designee)
 Business or health care industry (three designees)

“As we’ve seen increasingly during recent years, affordable, reliable access to broadband internet is no longer a luxury; it’s essential for families and businesses,” Kerkman said. “In creating this committee, it’s our objective to improve access throughout Kenosha County.”