Boulder to hold input session on community broadband

BOULDER — The city of Boulder is seeking input from the community regarding potential next steps for the city providing fiber high-speed Internet.

The “Broadband Brainstorm” will be held from 6 to 8:15 p.m., Wednesday, April 11, at Galvanize, 1023 Walnut St. The input received will be used for a May 8 City Council discussion on the issue of a potential broadband ballot item.

Chris Meschuk, assistant city manager and project lead for Connect Boulder, the city’s official broadband effort, will present new information and details on options being considered.

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Attendees will participate in various interactive activities to help the city better understand the community’s desires, according to a news release.

The city said it will also seek input on how the community prioritizes broadband compared with other efforts, such as municipalization.

“The broadband brainstorm is an opportunity for the community to become more informed about the project’s progress and to participate in the analysis of the broadband models,” Meschuk said in a prepared statement. “Significant research and analysis have been done since the last council meeting focused on broadband, and the city wants to engage with the community about this new information. This will be an interactive event with many opportunities to share feedback and ask questions.”

Those that attend the hearing will also get a brief history on Connect Boulder, a deeper dive into the models being considered and a summary of the upcoming timeline. Interactive sessions will be held to gain more information on the specific reasons people support or oppose community broadband, what service features would affect the number of future subscribers and input on what internet service providers should be considered.

On May 8, the City Council will review technical analysis of options for delivering community broadband. Based on the outcome of the May study session, a public hearing and discussion have tentatively been scheduled for the June 12 City Council meeting. The preferred option, to be placed on the ballot, would be decided at that meeting.