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With an infrastructure of dark fiber Internet cable now running through part of Calais, the city is considering the option of facilitating its expansion to provide homes and businesses with fiber optic speeds. The Economic and Community Development Committee met on October 30 to discuss the possibility. Committee members were joined by Andrew Tickle of Eastern Maine Electric Cooperative, who shared his expertise on the subject.
At a city council meeting the week prior, a number of councillors voiced their support of the project. Councillor Billy Howard said that there are very few towns in the state that offer access to the fastest Internet speeds. "You won't bring in industry without that fiber," Councillor Artie Mingo concurred. Mingo added that expanding the infrastructure to private residences would attract professionals looking to work from home without having to live in an urban city.
City Manager Jim Porter said that the goal of the city would be to act as a facilitator and pay to have services run from a provider. Tickle advised the committee that the existing fiber optic network runs down South Street, over Washington and then down Church Street. If the city wants to expand the network and act as a facilitator, it would need to have an agreement with Eastern Maine Electric and Fairpoint Communications for the use of the poles. Tickle said that the city has approximately 2,000 poles, and at a cost of $6-8 per pole, the city would want to have a secured customer base in place before beginning the project. Porter said that he would look into methods of determining the level of local interest in a competitively‑priced package deal that includes high speed Internet, cable and phone.
The committee also discussed the possibility of erecting a banner system by the golf course to hoist banners that would span the road and advertise community events. The city previously had a banner system but it was discontinued due to safety concerns after the banner became caught on a vehicle, causing cables to whip around. Tickle advised the committee that having two additional guy ropes would prevent the banners from falling while utilizing extra guys would prevent flapping. He recommended that a total of eight guys be used, at a cost of $65 each. Committee member Mingo said that he would look into a pulley system to improve ease of use for putting up and taking down the banners.
Lastly, the committee addressed the ongoing project of connecting the ATV and snowmobile trails between Ayers Junction and Calais by removing existing railway tracks. Porter said that Rep. Joyce Maker had requested a bill in the state legislature but that it had not been selected for review. As such, the earliest that it would be considered by legislators is in the spring session of 2017.
Porter suggested that the city council designate the Hardscrabble Road as a trail, with the understanding that fences along private properties could be erected at the behest of owners. Tickle said that a trail parallel to the active railroad tracks could also be established to enhance the overall trail network. |
