Part 1 - General project information

Community Name: Bayfield County

State: Wisconsin

Contact Information Bruce Lindgren 86500 Lenawee Road PO Box 46 Herbster, WI 54844 715-774-3325 bflind@win.bright.net

Alternate Contact Information Jim Radtke PO Box 458 Washburn, WI 54891 715-373-5442 bcedc@bayfieldcounty.org

 

Part 2 - Community partnership information

 

List each community agency and organization partnering in this effort. Provide a contact name and email address for each partner, if available. Partnerships may include any kind of community agency or organization that brings together people in the community for any purpose. Examples might include educational institutions, church groups, libraries, youth groups, volunteer service groups, social and hobby clubs, community centers, Chambers of Commerce, local businesses, etc.

Bayfield County Economic Development Corporation (BCEDC), Jim Radtke, bcedc@bayfieldcounty.org

Northwest Regional Planning Commission (NWRPC), Jan Hacker, nwrpc@centurytel.net

Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College (WITC), Bonnie Boyer, bboyer@witc.tec.wi.us

University of Wisconsin - Superior, Julius Erlenbach, jerlen@alabi.uwsuper.edu

University of Wisconsin Extension, Lissa Radke, lissa.radke@ces.uwex.edu

Bayfield School District, Bruce LaRose, blarose@bayfield.k12.wi.us

Washburn School District, Ken Kasinski, kkinski@washburn.k12.wi.us

South Shore School District, Henry Lamkin, nickmal@yahoo.com

Drummond School District, Dan Vernetti. dvern@logger.dasd.k12.wi.us

Washburn Public Library, Roberta Baggerly, baylib@bayfield.k12.wi.us

Cable Public Library, Jackie Jamison, cablelib@win.bright.net

Drummond Public Library, Suzanne Widmer, drumlib@win.bright.net

Iron River Public Library, Barbara Resheske, babrehab@win.bright.net

Northern Waters Library Service, Joan Aroldi, jaroldi@nwls.lib.wi.us

Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewas, Ray DePerry, ray_dep@yahoo.com

Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal Community College, Mark Trebian, mtrebian@lco-college.edu

Cable Natural History Museum, Sue Benson, email@cablemuseum.org

Alliance for Sustainability, Ruth Oppedahl, ruth@oppedahl.com

Bayfield County Board of Supervisors, Tom Gordon, dbellile@bayfieldcounty.org

Wisconsin Towns Association, Rick Stadelman, wistowns@mail.ezwebtech.com

Bayfield Electric Cooperative, Shane Wyzlic, shane@baysat.net

Chamber of Commerce, Bruce Hanson, gocable@win.bright.net

League of Women Voters, Dorothy Lagerroos, dorothyl@win.bright.net

Chequamegon Telephone Company, Tom Frels, info@cheqtel.com

H.S.I., Inc. Bill Watland, info@ncis.net

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Myra Dec, myra_dec@nps.gov

Wisconsin Department of Commerce (WDOC), Peggy Lescrenier, plescrenier@commerce.state.wi.us

Economic Development Administration (EDA), John Peck, JPeck@doc.gov

 

Identify the people or groups in the community served by the partners (up to 250 words)

Bayfield Electric Cooperative, Chequamegon Telephone Company, and H.S.I., Inc. provide Internet hosting to businesses and private individuals in approximately two-thirds of the county. The remaining third does not have Internet access. The Chambers of Commerce, BCEDC, and NWRPC serve the business community by providing technical assistance, financing, and other services for new business start-ups and existing industry expansions. These organizations also provide access to information on advanced technologies for local businesses. The WDOC and the EDA operate grant and loan programs that fund economic development projects in distressed areas. The libraries, community centers, town halls, and museums serve the general population and are focal points for the elderly. The community centers often double as public gathering places and senior centers. Public schools serve the school age population while WITC and the University of Wisconsin system serve the college-aged and adult population. The Red Cliff Band and Lac Courte Oreilles serve Native American youth and adults. County and local units of government serve all their constituents and operate many programs which address the underserved members of the community. For example, county government operates and assists in funding rural public transportation systems, social services, programs to provide affordable housing to low- and moderate-income residents, and land use planning initiatives to ensure sustainable development.

 

Describe the resources that the partnership will provide to the project, e.g. staff, funding, etc. (up to 250 words)

Each school district will arrange liaison to the project, provide access to their distance learning facilities and media centers for initiatives outlined in the project, and coordinate student involvement in several aspects of the project. The Technical College and University of Wisconsin system will provide staff support in the development of adult education initiatives, staff support to consult in the areas of marketing, leadership development, telecommunications, and other specialties as needed and access to their distance learning facilities. The libraries, community centers, and museums will contribute space and equipment and serve as hosts to the general public for educational outreach and Internet access. Tribal governments and institutions will contribute staff support to encourage full participation of Native American youth and adults. The Chambers, Bayfield County Economic Development Corporation (BCEDC), and NorthWest Regional Planning Commission (NWRPC) will recruit and manage staff support in areas related to economic development projects or any activity that involves area businesses. Governmental units, school districts and community agencies are positioned to provide leadership and, where appropriatly motivated, raise additional funding for elements of the initiative on a project by project basis. In summary, the partners in the project will primarily provide staff support to the effort, space, and some equipment as well as use of existing networks to raise additional funding for various elements of the project.

 

Identify any current and past support from other sources including corporations, funders, etc. for any current and past partnership efforts. (up to 250 words)

In the area of economic development, current and past support for established partnerships in the form of staff support and funding has been provided to Bayfield County from a number of organizations. A sudden and severe economic distress grant ($33,000) was provided by the EDA, via NWRPC, to complete an economic development diversification plan for the county in 1998.The BCEDC was funded in 2000 by 18 Bayfield towns or cities ($17,700), Bayfield County ($42,000), local businesses ($3,600), and a grant from the WDOC ($20,000). Application is currently pending for monies to construct a multi-tenant facility in Iron River involving funding from Bayfield Electric Cooperative, USDA Rural Development, WDOC, and Bayfield County. The County operates a revolving loan fund to assist in business expansion and start-ups for many years which was initially capitalized by WDOC, EDA, and local banks.

A consortium of housing authorities is applying for funds to help low- and moderate-income individuals improve their homes.

A volunteer partnership completed an action plan creating a technology-based segment of the Chequamegon Bay economy.

Current and past support for partnership efforts have been provided on a project by project basis. Many funders and organizations are typically involved in such efforts and their role varies based on the particular project focus. A common pattern is for each organization to assume the lead role in their primary area of emphasis supported by partners. The result is a network of organizations working cooperatively and understanding that their role is different within each project sphere.

 

Identify any HP employees involved in current and past community efforts.

None

 

 

Part 3 - Community vision

 

A vision statement for the community is considered essential for this grant opportunity. See Section 6 of the information packet for details on what should be included in a vision statement.

 

Does your community have a group of local government officials, business people, civic and social service group representatives, and citizens that has developed a vision document for the community?

Yes

 

If yes, please list the groups, organizations, and citizens who contributed to the development of the vision (name and affiliation). Provide e-mail addresses for all groups/people that have them - List name, affiliation, and email address, one set of information per line (Joe Johnson, YMCA, jjohnson@aoj.com)

Bruce Lindgren, BCEDC Education Committee, bflind@win.bright.net

Jim Radtke, BCEDC, bcedc@bayfieldcounty.org

Dan Vernetti, Drummond School District, dvern@logger.dasd.k12.wi.us

Henry Lamkin, South Shore Schools, nickmal@yahoo.com

Bruce LaRose, Bayfield School District, blarose@bayfield.k12.wi.us

Bonnie Boyer, WITC, bboyer@witc.tec.wi.us

Sue Benson, Cable Natural History Museum, email@cablemuseum.org

Barbara Resheske, Iron River Public Library, babrehab@win.bright.net

Ray DePerry, Red Cliff Band, ray_dep@yahoo.com

Lissa Radke, University of Wisconsin Extension, lissa.radke@ces.uwex.edu

Jan Hacker, NorthWest Regional Planning Commission, nwrpc@centurytel.net

Frank Graves, Business Owner, fpgydwg@ncis.net

John Uffenbeck, WITC, JohnU@win.bright.net

Bruce Hanson, Cable Chamber of Commerce, gocable@win.bright.net

Sandra Murphy, Home Schooler, smurphy@win.bright.net

 

If no, please provide a short explanation (up to 250 words) about why your community does not have a vision statement.

 

Provide a summary of the current community vision statement. Summarize your vision for the community (up to 1000 words). Address short-term goals and objectives and a longer term vision (10 to 20 years) for the community.

Bayfield County’s community vision is to:

Become a model for rural areas on how advanced technologies can be used to create economic opportunity, strengthen a sense of community, and maintain the rural character of an area. Bayfield county will maintain its identity and sense of place while connected to global social and intellectual environments.

Create a community where every citizen has the means and opportunity to reach their full potential, make valuable contributions to civic and cultural life, support their neighbors in need and raise a family in Bayfield County. Unite the community with shared goals, a shared vision of future possibilities, and a dedication to the community good and individual achievement.

Bayfield County will pioneer in breaking the boundaries and barriers of place-based intellectual services in educational, medical, and business enterprises while retaining its rural character and quality of life.

Focus Intellectual Energy - Build on the strength of the County’s high graduation and literacy rates to harness this commitment to high educational attainment and focus it on skills needed for the new technology-based economy.

Bayfield County understands the paradigm shift which has occurred in the global economy where information and the ability to exchange it is replacing physical labor as the engine of economic and intellectual growth. Therefore, we want to educate and train our children and residents on how to use the latest technological tools so they can be part of the new global economy and society.

Expand local school’s investments in electronic networks to allow sharing of specialized expertise between each school in the county which individual schools cannot afford to provide alone. Upgrade each schools "media centers" within five years, ensure they use compatible technology, and coordinate schedules to allow for long-distance learning. Create long-distance learning facilities and offerings for adults and make them accessible to all and heavily utilized within 10 years. Eliminate the barrier of long commutes to providers of adult education to improve the attractiveness of life-long learning and continuous professional development.

Increase connectivity between educational institutions beyond local schools to increase access to resources and library collections needed for advanced study and research. Include a training component so optimum use can be made of existing and future electronic links to libraries and university departments as on-line class offerings are increased.

Within 20 years or sooner, a seamless web of educational resources will exist and be readily accessible to all county residents. Education and training will energize community members and allow them to expand their horizons and reach their full potential.

Enhance Employment - Address a lack of diversification in the County’s economy by creating the infrastructure and entrepreneurial spirit to expand the technology-based component of the economy, attract and grow businesses, and increase employment opportunities.

Continue to work with local utility providers to improve access to wireless and other electronic technology. Achieve complete county coverage within five years and continual up-grades in the long-term.

Attract technology-based businesses to Bayfield County. Encourage a broad-based definition of technology-based businesses to include telecommuting, e-based business service providers, and manufacturers which employ cutting-edge technology. Initial efforts have demonstrated that technology-based businesses electronically linked to their customers are a fruitful area of economic development activity which will produce high quality jobs for residents.

Build a technology themed multi-tenant facility within ten years to provide technology-based businesses with advanced centralized services, equipment, and technical assistance. This facility could host companies utilizing advanced manufacturing technologies and/or virtual companies providing business support services via web-based forms of communication.

Improve connections between K-12 educators and businesses to ensure the curriculum will provide the skills needed for future employment opportunities and access to higher educational opportunities. Promote basic understanding of business principals and operations through initiatives such as Bay Quest by simultaneously focusing on attracting technology-based businesses and improving skill levels of residents to work in and start those businesses, the current pattern of out-migration can be reversed in the long-term.

Ensure that all Bayfield County youth are adequately prepared to work in technology-based businesses by equipping each student in one grade level with personal communications devices and advanced training on their use within five years and all grade levels within ten years. In the long-term, a computer will be seen as an indispensable component within the school curriculum and a vehicle to transfer computer literacy through family networks.

Preserve Local Culture - Bridge a growing cultural divide in the County’s community by creating forums to link long-term residents with new residents. These forums will expand cultural understanding, social interaction, and mutual exploration of opportunities for the sharing of information, expertise, and resources among all community members.

Create electronic forums within five years to foster discussion and interaction regarding community affairs, sharing of community expertise and talents, development and critical analysis of ideas, and wide-spread involvement in the political process. Maintain the heritage of the area and preserve existing unique skills, especially within the Native American community by fostering venues for cultural exchange between long-time and new residents and tribal and non-tribal community members.

Advance Community Education - Increase electronic connectivity within the community by improving access to and acceptance of electronic media communication between all elements of the community. Create links between media centers, civic organizations, and individuals to foster a virtual democracy.

Connect each community center to the internet. Provide marketing and training to ensure full use of communications resources by community residents. Initially target teachers, empowering them to increase technology use within current curriculum. Make a special effort to train tribal members and the elderly both of which are underserved. Create and electronically link a pool of local leaders that can be an immediate source of talent to address community and social issues and strengthen local governance.

Improve the quality of life by expanding access to medical services via remote access technology and a system of mobile diagnostic medical and dental clinics within 15 years. Facilitate volunteer efforts to decrease isolation of home-bound elderly, efficiently deliver social services, and ensure the needs of the disadvantaged are being met.

 

How will you sustain and maintain the community vision? Describe how the community's vision effort will be sustained over the long term (up to 500 words). Include any pertinent information like sources of funding, dedicated staff, organizational commitments to participate, etc.

Bayfield County will build on existing partnerships and create new partnerships to sustain and maintain the community vision.

Bayfield County leaders have long recognized the value of partnerships and have actively developed many throughout the years. Local school districts and WITC have a history of sharing teacher talents and educational resources. This relationship will continue to strengthen as they become more closely connected via digital media.

The BCEDC, Ashland Area Development Corporation, Bayfield Electric Cooperative, area banks, and NWRPC have a long-standing cooperative relationship which has involved the sharing of NWRPC’s technical expertise and joint participation in the funding of multi-tenant facilities and financial packages for new and existing businesses. A multi-organizational housing authority (Northwest Affordable Housing) also exists to pool resources to assist low- and moderate-income families. These relationships and others will be used as a springboard to attain the community vision and new organizational commitments to elements of the vision.

Bayfield County will nurture the development of a new generation of local leaders and technical experts committed to innovative approaches that take advantage of opportunities and address community problems.

Bayfield County believes strong local leaders and their ability to communicate the community vision to a wider populous is the single most important ingredient to maintaining the community vision over time. With strong local leadership, vision, and the proper technical expertise, all things are possible and all barriers be they financial, technological, or social can be overcome. Local leaders will be nurtured and fostered through leadership training and electronic linkages to critically address county issues and share ideas for action on each. Currently existing technical experts will be asked to commit to elements of the vision. Where new technical expertise is needed, applications will be made to local, state, and federal agencies for their support; and new avenues to exchange expertise will be explored.

Bayfield County will build off of its existing strengths to take full advantage of the talents of its youth and the experience of its residents to foster a climate of entrepreneurship in the business community and throughout the community.

Three major strengths in Bayfield County are its high graduation and literacy rates, its scenic beauty and desirability as a retirement and vacation destination, and the existence of a large percentage of retired business executives and entrepreneurs from major metropolitan areas. The high school population is a ready source of potential technology-based talent. The entrepreneurs and retired business executives have the skills and knowledge to focus this talent into productive and sustainable enterprises. Bringing these two groups together with area teachers will create businesses with strong local ties. The networks of existing and new business executives will also help attract new talent to the county that can improve the economy, increase community cohesion, and increase commitment to public service. These networks of volunteers, including those among educators, will be important in maintaining the community vision.

 

If your community receives an award, how will the community extend and build upon the effort after the three years of comprehensive support? Describe how the community will provide leadership, staffing, and financial support for the community network after the first three years (up to 1000 words).

Bayfield County will include detailed plans and partnership commitments as an integral part of the Community Technology Partnership Plan (CTPP). With assistance from HP, Bayfield County envisions that the CTPP will serve as a vehicle to engage extensive community discussion of specific short- and long-term project outcomes and investments. The community vision will also be further refined and, as this is communicated throughout the community, specific partnership commitments will be made for long-term implementation of the CTPP. It is anticipated that selection of Bayfield County as a participant in the Digital Village program will provide the initial resources needed to upgrade hardware and software in schools and community centers and monies for the support of technical expertise to organize the human components of Bayfield’s vision – formation of distance learning curriculum tailored to community members needs, formation of web-based mediums to unite and encourage sharing within the community, and support for efforts to grow the technology-based segment of Bayfield’s economy.

Upon further refinement of the CTPP, Bayfield County leaders are convinced that existing and new partners will "buy in" to the plan and increase their level of support. Initial discussions with state officials have been particularly promising to date. Strong engagement of members of the community will ensure that the vehicles developed as part of the initiative will be fully utilized by residents and students. Consequently, wide-spread support will be ensured.

Bayfield County will build on this HP’s initial support by contributing volunteer and currently funded hours throughout the first three years to build a strong support base for the initiative within the community, civic organizations, local businesses and schools. Bayfield County faces numerous obstacles to implementing its vision. Efforts to develop a community vision related to technology development and participation in the digital age have only recently begun. Consequently, much effort will be needed to lay a firm foundation to make the effort sustainable. Local community leaders are committed to this effort and understand that without local commitment of financial, technical, and intellectual resources successful implementation of the community vision over the long-term will not occur.

Residents and communities in Bayfield County have a long history of resourcefulness in assembling financial and technical resources to accomplish worthwhile community initiatives. A strong local culture of cooperation between neighbors and organizations currently exists and results in innovative and non-partisan efforts to advance local initiatives. Part of Bayfield County’s community vision is to maintain this cultural environment and utilize it to sustain its vision for the future after HP’s three years of support.

Initial support will provide much needed assistance in formalizing community commitment to a technology-based future and the resources needed to achieve it. The current community vision recognizes that existing and new initiatives will constantly evolve as technology advances. Creation of a widely adopted community vision based on the CTPP, which is flexible enough to accommodate change, will extend and build upon HP’s three years of support primarily through engendering a commitment within the community to continual technological improvement and investment.

 

What will your community do if it does not receive an award? Describe what plans the community has, if any, to use the proposal as a springboard for the community/region to address technology needs and/or to develop and sustain a community network (up to 1000 words).

If Bayfield County does not receive an award, the county will undertake the following actions:

Continually refine Bayfield County’s community vision. Bayfield County does not view the current community vision as a static document. Instead, the vision will be dynamic and continually refined as new partnership opportunities are identified, new projects are proposed, and as identified projects are accomplished. Refinement will also be needed in response to continual technological change both locally and globally. This evolution in technology will lead to changes and possibilities unimaginable today which Bayfield County will need to embrace to fully participate in the information revolution. In undertaking this refinement, Bayfield County will also seek information and perspective from efforts undertaken in similar communities; learning what worked well and what didn’t and what were key elements of success. More fully exploring the resources offered by such organizations as the Association For Community Networks, the Technology Opportunities Program, and the U.S.D.E.’s Office of Educational Technology will be an important part of future activities.

Prioritize key elements of the community vision. Without substantial resources, Bayfield County will be unable to accomplish all projects contained in the community vision in a timely manner. Consequently priorities will need to be established and relationships between each priority outlined to identify key common elements in various projects. Lead organizations, key partners, and the resources needed for each priority will be identified. For example, providing internet access countywide is a high priority as is improving wireless communications networks. Lead organizations and key partners have already been identified and preliminary plans are in place to accomplish this goal.

Explore opportunities for grants and loans from public and private sources. As priorities are outlined, possible sources of funding to implement the projects in the community vision will be outlined. This process has begun for several projects including the construction of the multi-tenant facility which could function as a community technology center and affordable housing projects. Bayfield County lacks a large corporate presence whose foundations often specifically target communities where they have operations. Bayfield County also lacks large and extensive local government resources such as those available in large cities which could be used to fund elements of the vision. The level of rural poverty in the county also limits available local private resources. What the county does have, however, is a history of innovativeness in putting together financing and technical expertise from a number of sources to solve community problems. Partners in Bayfield County also have a strong track record of accomplishing what they set out to do and producing quality results. These strengths will be relied upon to continue progress in the future.

Continue to educate the community about this technology initiative. Attention in Bayfield County to advance its future by incorporating a strong technology component has been a focus for the last three years. The partners in the effort have only begun effort to generate enthusiasm for the initiative within the general public. Development of a public outreach plan to garner additional support and interest will be prepared as resource become available. Efforts to identify additional partners will also continue.

Continue efforts to link initiatives taken to date. Several of these initiative have been mentioned in other sections of this proposal. The "Work Where You Play" initiative expect to recruit talented business owners and entrepreneurs to relocate to the area. Preliminary indications are that many of these will be e-based. Formation of the Chequamegon Educational Consortium recognizes that non-school and adult educational resources are an important contribution to the community learning environment and, by working together, will help leverage resources to support a rich, robust experience for all. BayQuest will improve the transition from school to work by giving students hands on experience in business skills development and an introduction of the use of digital technology in the workplace. The Chequamegon Group has proposed starting a public company, locally owned, to acquire appropriate, early stage companies and relocate them to the area to increase the technology-based component of the economy. All these and other efforts are pieces of the larger focus on technology and community access to it and can each contribute if properly linked.

Thank HP for providing the opportunity to pursue our technology goals. If Bayfield County does not receive an award, local leaders will remain grateful to HP for providing the opportunity to apply for funding. In many ways, Bayfield County is unusual and uniquely positioned to benefit from advanced technology. It is Wisconsin’s second largest county yet does not contain a single stop light. It’s 70 miles from the northern tip to the southern boundary which means people are very physically separated in a highly rural, lightly developed setting. It retains a strong rural ethic and kinship network where helping neighbors and cooperating in community projects is second nature. Technology holds great potential for strengthening these societal ties and support networks across space. Bayfield County also hosts several outstanding and unique natural environments: Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world; thousands of acres of forests; and the third highest number of inland lakes in the state. Technology also holds great potential for replacing physical links with technological links which can have important benefits to the county’s high quality environment.

 

 

Part 4 - Community demographics

 

Include only the data that applies to your community. Be prepared to provide additional documentation if requested. (Final candidates for the awards will be asked to provide verifiable sources of this data.)

 

Population of the community - official population of your community 15358

 

Is your community or any portion of your community identified as an empowerment zone or enterprise community by the federal government?

No

 

How many children (under 18) reside in the community; what is the percentage of children in the community?

26.2

 

Percentage of children in the community eligible for free or reduced lunch in school?

44.7

 

How many people in the community have incomes below the poverty level?

2115

 

What is the percentage of people in the community with incomes below the poverty level?

14.2

 

What is the racial and ethnic mix of the population? Describe the racial and ethnic distribution of the population within the community (no more than 200 words).

The only geographic concentration of one ethnic group in the county is of Native Americans. This ethnic group is concentrated on the Red Cliff Indian Reservation in the northern most part of the county. The following information is based on 1998 statistical estimates.

White – 89.7% Native American – 9.4% This figure may be slightly higher now since some tribal members live off-reservation and may not have been counted in the census. Hispanic – 0.4% African American – 0.3% Asian – 0.2%

 

What percentage of people is over 55 in the community?

27.3

 

What is the literacy rate in the community?

58.0

 

What is the high school graduation rate? (%)

94.5

 

Please provide gender and ethnicity information for graduation rate above.

High school graduation rate by school/gender/ethnicity for 1999.

Bayfield High School 41 grads – 0 drop outs = 100% graduation rate 22 F, 19 M Native American – 24 White – 17

Drummond High School 41 grads – 5 drop outs = 89.13% graduation rate 23 F, 18 M White – 41

South Shore High School 28 grads – 0 drop outs = 100% graduation rate 14 F, 14 M Native American – 1 White – 26 Asian – 1

Washburn High School 64 grads – 5 drop outs = 92.75% graduation rate Native American – 2 White – 62

 

How many classroom teachers are in the local school system(s) serving the community?

167

 

Percentage of those classroom teachers have received formal instruction on how to use computers and the Internet in the classroom?

 

Percentage of those classroom teachers in the community/region have received more than 4 hours of formal instruction on how to use computers and the Internet in the classroom?

 

More than 8 hours?

 

 

Part 5 - Community and technology assessment

 

How many ISPs in the community/region? - This is Internet Service Providers who offer local dial access to the Internet; any national, regional, or local provider may be included, as long as they offer local dial access (a long distance call is NOT required).

4

 

What percentage of those ISPs are local or regional companies (not national firms like AOL or MSN)?

4

 

Provide the URL for the town/regional Web site (if one is available)

 

Provide the URL for the county Web site (if one is available)

www.bayfieldcounty.org

 

Provide the URL for the local school district Web site (if one is available)

www.washburn.k12.wi.us

 

Provide the URL for the local community/civic Web site (if one is available)

www.bayfield.org

 

How many organizations in the community have broadband Internet access (public and private use) - Broadband access is defined as permanent, full time (not dial up) Internet connections with speeds of 256 kilobits or more; DSL and cable modems can be counted as broadband connections. By necessity, this will be an estimate. Contact any public or private organizations that are likely to have more than 10 to 20 computers in use, and ask about how they get their Internet access. The access may be T1 lines or other broadband access--but NOT dial up modem access.

10

 

How many community and civic groups in the community? Please describe in 2-3 sentences how you counted the number of civic and community organizations in the community.

By directly contacting the Chambers of Commerce and business associations, it was determined that there are approximately 24 community and civic groups in the county, including the Chambers of Commerce in Bayfield, Cable, Iron River, Eau Claire Lakes, and Washburn.

 

What percentage of those community and civic groups have a Web site?

20.8

 

How many of those community and civic groups use a mailing list to communicate with members? (Specify whether mailing list is manual, electronic, e.g. e-mail, or both)

The five Chamber/business associations maintain electronic databases, but rely on printed material and traditional mail for contacting members, since many do not have e-mail access. None of the other organizations have or use electronic mailing.

 

How many neighborhoods are in the community? - Use your best estimate of neighborhoods that have a clear identity and/or are identified by local authorities for planning and zoning purposes.

29

 

What percentage of the neighborhoods counted above have community technology centers or some other clearly identifiable computer lab or facility expressly for neighborhood use?

17.2

 

How many businesses in the community? - Use "official" estimates like local government counts of registered businesses.

417

 

What percentage of those businesses have a Web site?

27.8

 

 

Part 6 - Preliminary Project plan

 

See Section 5 for key ideas in planning your project.

 

Project plan - Provide up to 500 words that briefly describes the key points of your project as you foresee it. Discuss who in the community will benefit from the effort and how they will benefit.

People-based networks. The project will involve creation of several digital networks to facilitate communication within the community. An electronic bulletin board will allow for the posting of information on area events and goods for sale or needed to increase the efficiency of information exchange. A neighbor to neighbor network will facilitate volunteer efforts to decrease isolation of the homebound elderly. A skills bank will allow the sharing of community members talents and expertise with those in need. Establishment of web-based forms of town meetings and conduct of government business will increase individual access to decision-making bodies and critical analysis of community issues. Establishment of a chat-room on local issues will encourage more communication among local leaders. Venues for cultural exchange will strengthen community culture and highlight the contributions of Native Americans to that culture.

Comprehensive support for technology-based businesses. The project will improve service delivery to technology-based businesses through existing partnerships, construction of a multi-tenant facility, and deployment of additional technical resources. The "Work Where You Play" initiative was begun to capitalize on the area’s attractiveness as a recreation destination to attract technology-based businesses. It has been highly successful to date and will attract additional technology-based businesses in the future. Students, residents and potential entrepreneurs will develop the skills needed within the business community through actual experience and mentoring by existing and retired business leaders. Strengthening links between the business community and educators will ensure training and education efforts develop the necessary skills for jobs in the new economy. Expanding existing business use of the internet will result in new business opportunities and enable access to new markets.

Seamless network of educational resources. The project will create a diverse and widely accessible network of educational providers and learners through the Chequamegon Educational Consortium. Public Internet access and long-distance learning opportunities will be available throughout the county. Sharing of educational and intellectual expertise between local schools, universities, and residents will support a rich and robust learning experience for both K-12 students and adults. Extensive marketing of this network will occur to ensure its extensive use throughout the community especially by the elderly. Digital technology will also be used to expand the intellectual base for research.

Integration of Social, Economic, and Environmental Dimensions of the Community. The project recognizes that technology can be an important tool to integrate these important dimensions. Simultaneous attention to all three dimensions in project planning will produce sustainable results and benefits to all members of the community.

 

Partner participation - Provide up to 750 words that describe what role each major partner anticipates they will play in the effort, and what each partner is prepared to contribute to ensure the success of the effort.

BCEDC has spearheaded the Digital Village Initiative and will continue to provide leadership and coordination. The Executive Director will promote the "Work Where You Play" initiative. The BayQuest project and the Chequamegon Educational Consortium effort will be coordinated through the BCEDC Education Committee. The BCEDC will continue to be the first point of contact for area businesses and will be a critically important link to NWRPC, a federally recognized economic development district. NWRPC will contribute technical expertise and assist in financing new business start-ups or existing business expansions.

Other sources of financing will be available from state and federal sources. NWRPC will also assist in developing the technology-based multi-tenant facility and continue their existing land use planning initiatives in the county.

Current Internet service providers will make investments to expand Internet access, coordinate infrastructure development, and provide other digital services as needed by community members and businesses. Area Chambers of Commerce will facilitate and coordinate business involvement in educational initiatives and will lead efforts to expand the use of digital technology for business training and as a means of linking with customers to expand business opportunities.

WITC will contribute technical expertise, facilities for adult education, and distance learning facilities. This organization will also develop adult education experiences and act as liaison between educational providers. The University of Wisconsin System will make available professors to consult in the areas of marketing, management, education, communications, rural sociology, and political science. UW extension will assist in educational activities to increase awareness of learning opportunities for all county residents. In addition, UW’s telecommunications network will be available to support expanded access to seminars, colloquia, and on-line class offerings.

LCO Tribal Community College will, through its outreach to Red Cliff, provide models for distance learning initiatives and technical assistance in creating valuable course offerings. The Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa will provide leadership for involvement of Native American community members in the areas of adult education and public health.

Public school districts will coordinate release time for faculty and administrative staff, provide access to their technology infrastructure for conferencing and adult education, coordinate student involvement in BayQuest, and provide leadership and physical space for the Chequamegon Educational Consortium. Access will be provided to laboratory facilities. The schools will also provide management of server space and coordinate remote-sensing relays.

Public libraries will contribute space for public access to Internet terminals, maintenance of high bandwidth infrastructure, meeting space, and logistical support for the Chequamegon Educational Consortium. Bayfield County museums are also important non-school educational resources and will contribute space and programmatic support. In particular, the Cable Natural History Museum will coordinate initiatives related to natural resources and the environment with the Alliance for Sustainability and the Bayfield Conservancy.

Town halls and community centers will provide space for public access to technology and the Internet. Town officers will provide leadership for integrating new technologies into administrative activities and local governance structures.

Bayfield County Board of Supervisors will continue to provide monetary support to the BCEDC as well as UW Extension. Other state and federal agencies will also provide monetary support to the initiative on a project by project basis.

The League of Women Voters will facilitate and coordinate citizen involvement and education in local governance structures expanding recognition and respect for democratic values and institutions. They will also lead efforts to make the conduct of local government business more web-based.

 

Project outcomes - Provide up to 750 words that describe what changes you expect to see in the community after the project is underway and after the completion of the project.

The project will establish a foundation for continuous learning within the adult community of Bayfield County. This foundation will include an array of readily available technology-based learning resources and an enthusiastic populous which makes full use of these resources. Libraries, museums and community centers will become highly visible to the adult community as sources of personal growth through an aggressive marketing effort that actively seeks to understand the needs and circumstances of potential adult learners and adjusts the mix of resources to fulfill these needs. Public libraries will assume the mantle of academic libraries but without the enormous investment in hard copy literature. Using the Internet and subscription databases, our schools and libraries will provide a rich array of information resources and opportunities for distance learning. Libraries and educators will interact with adult and student learners and provide linkages to support organizations and supportive individuals in the community.

Intellectual capital will be readily accessible in Bayfield County. Partnerships with the UW system will form the foundation for integrating information resources to serve civic, social, economic, and environmental goals. Linking the robust library and technical expertise of universities worldwide with the school and non-school educational structures will provide access to information and ideas which can be used to address local concerns.

Bayfield County K-12 schools will make major investments in technology networks and revolutionize the manner in which current education is delivered. Use of computers and other technology-based methods of education will become an integral part of the learning experience. Teachers will be fully versant in the latest technology-based educational models and will utilize them in the classroom. Distance learning opportunities will be widely available and used to digitally link schools, colleges, and universities.

Non-indigenous people will better recognize and respect the contributions of the Native Americans to the cultural tapestry of the Bayfield County community. Particularly in the area of public health, the Red Cliff Band represents a unique community resource. In the future, Bayfield County will be able to build on the foundation of the Band’s recent success in establishing the only medical, and soon dental clinic in the county and provide additional facilities or services for non-natives. Opportunities to integrate more technology in the provision of additional medical services will be explored through the project.

A strong sense of community will be engendered among permanent residents and non-residents alike through the various electronic forums created in the project. Respect for the contributions each individual can make within the community will be heightened. The rural ethics of helping neighbors and contributing to civic affairs will be strengthened via these forums. The need for place-based forms of communication will decrease as venues are established for participation in meetings and governance on-line.

The business initiatives undertaken within the project will reduce the out-migration of residents to work elsewhere. Bayfield County will be successful in attracting new technology-based businesses and in expanding those that currently exist. This business expansion and growth will diversify the economy and be undertaken in a manner that maintains the rural nature and quality of Bayfield County’s environment. Focus on technology-based businesses will increase higher wage jobs and consequently reduce levels of poverty among residents.

Teachers will be more involved in the business community and the business community will be more accessible to the schools as a learning resource. By improving integration between teachers and the business community, teachers will be better positioned to tailor the content of their disciplines to prepare students for their economic future in the new digital age based on "real world" perspective. BayQuest will improve students business acumen and fully utilize the skills and talents of existing and retired business leaders.

The community vision will be widely accepted by Bayfield County residents who will enthusiastically embrace the opportunities and possibilities a digital future holds.

 

Please do not submit a request for specific equipment.