EcoEKY: Green News from Eastern Kentucky

In this WYMT report (read the text and watch the video clip here), Prestonsburg City Council member Gorman Collins suggests city projects such as recycling need funding before the city puts funds into a wireless internet service.

City Council Questions Cost Of Wireless Internet In Prestonsburg

Posted: 6:16 PM Apr 2, 2008
Last Updated: 9:23 PM Apr 2, 2008

Reporter: Dara Rees
Email Address: dara.rees@wymtnews.com

It's a pilot project to provide wireless internet service to Prestonsburg but after a few months of the free service, the city council says city funds should be used for other projects first. A number of local surveys show the community is in favor of the service, but there are still some bumps in the road to the world wide web.

This Eastern Kentucky city could be a wireless community, but a two mile stretch could be the only part of the city that gets to see it.

"We wanted to make sure that we could compete globally, as well as locally in different markets. We decided to use technology to achieve that," said Brent Graden, Director of Economic Development.

In theory, anyone along the designated stretch should be able the free wireless signal in Prestonsburg. City council members say they've seen a number of complaints from the community.

"You can't pick it up in most of the places in the city. It's not doing what some people have promised and really it shouldn't be going any further until we complete some other things," said Gorman Collins with the Prestonsburg City Council.

Collins says there are other projects in the city that are a higher priority.

"We have Mountain Arts Center, we have Stone Crest Golf Course, Prestonsburg Archer Park, our recycling project, some of the other things need to be done first and we feel like the money could be better spent," Collins said.

Graden says the cost of the project is thousands less than it could have cost.

"We're not opposed to the project, what we really feel is that the money can better be spent," Graden said. "Although this is still a test project that we are doing, we're hoping that the city council will vote on this and take us forward into the 21st century."

Graden hopes the wireless internet can draw in businesses and new opportunities like distance learning to Prestonsburg.

City officials are hosting a series of public meetings to answer questions about the wireless service.