City to add budget internet service aimed at seniors, low-income local families
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio
Tuesday, April 28, 2020 — The Bardstown City Council held first reading to changes to its cable TV and internet ordinance to reflect the need to provide low-cost internet access, and to prepare for providing service to consumers via fiber optic cable.
The ordinance introduced Tuesday creates a new, low-cost “Lifeline Cable Modem” internet service that is aimed at providing budget internet access to senior citizens and the economically disadvantaged.
Lifeline service in the city limits will offer an internet speed of 10Mb/s for $10 a month ($14.75 per month outside the city limits). To qualify for the Lifeline service, residents must be 65 years of age or older, or qualify for one of a number of supplemental services like SNAP or the National School Lunch Program.
School administrators’ requests for more internet access for low-income residents prompted the creation of the new service.
Nahom Ayele, a city network engineer, explained that the new service is inexpensive, but will not offer the speeds the regular, full-price service offers. The council agreed with waiving the usual installation fees for those who qualify for Lifeline service.
FIBER OPTIC SERVICES COMING. The ordinance also creates a new service called IPTV — Internet Protocol TV — that will be available as the city converts its cable system to an all-fiber optic system.
The new Passive Optical Network Fiber Service will feature rates competitive with existing cable modem service. Not all areas of the city have been converted to a fiber optic system, but the conversion is planned to be done in the future in stages throughout the city.
The Bardstown City Council will hold a special noon meeting Wednesday, April 29th, to hold second and final reading on the ordinance.
“The need for this is such we need to move on this,” Heaton told the council.
DONATION REQUEST. The council approved a donation request from the Tri-County United Way that will allow the organization to use $2,000 of the money it received from the city for its own operations.
Mayor Dick Heaton introduced the request, stating that the organization asked to use the funds to help fund its usual operating expenses. The request anticipates the organization seeing fewer individual and business donations, and its 2020 income will be substantially less, the application stated.
In Heaton’s announcement about the city’s program to help small businesses on April 15th, the city also agreed to donate $20,000 to Tri-County United Way to fund grants the organization will give to local charitable and non-profit groups. In addition to the city’s $20,000, a donation of $15,000 was added from the private sector. An additional $20,000 donation was more recently added to that total.
In other business, the city council:
— approved the appointment of former city employee Edgar Able to the Bardstown Historical Development Board that oversees the operation of Spalding Hall.
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