[RTC List] HWY 299 report

[Larry Goldberg]

RTC members,

I thought you all might enjoy the following report, prepared by Tina  
Nerat (Neratech), Michael Binskele (Broadband Associates) and Travis  
Finch (Velocity Technology) as funded under a CDBG grant (and prepared  
for Humboldt and Trinity counties):  www.northcoastprosperity.com/files/u74/HIGHWAY-299-REPORT-FINAL.pdf

They will be giving their close out report tomorrow at 1:30 PM at the  
board of supervisors for all interested parties.  Should be  
interesting...

On a personal note (and speaking as a private citizen and RTC member),  
I find it interesting that the county needs to fund what is,  
essentially, a feasibility study for a private company to do what was  
already approved by the CASF (CPUC California Advanced Services Fund)  
and authorized for public funding match ($7.2 Million!)  I thought  
this work was supposed to be done BEFORE the CASF funded a project.   
By the way, how many of you knew that the county was paying Broadband  
Associates to do a study like this (which they can use for private  
capital development)?  This also comes on the heels of the $500K  
Redwood Coast Connect study which I doubt that many of you have read  
(go to http://redwoodcoastconnect.humboldt.edu/?content=docs  for that  
one).  Also, this project is the basis for what will likely become the  
county's only submission for broadband funding for economic stimulus  
money (with a price tag which may exceed $50 million when all done).   
Grist for the mill...

By the way - I'm sorry to be such a pest.  Am I the only one who sees  
any conflict-of-interest here?  I guess I should just shut up and  
drink the cool-aid.