Boosting the economy, and offering the same educational opportunities for students, are two reasons Lincoln County government is hoping to bring high speed Internet to the entire county.
The Lincoln County Board of Supervisors recently directed a committee with reaching out to different private and public entities to find the most feasible route. Although barred by state law to act as a public utility, the county can act as a facilitator.
Access in rural areas has been a key issue.
Students attending the School District of Tomahawk use Chromebooks which require faster speed Internet to connect to resources and allow students to store information.
Lincoln County Administrative Coordinator Randy Scholz, said this puts students at a disadvantage, leaving some completing school work in odd places.
“We hear stories of parents sitting in parking lots of McDonald’s and their kids doing their work.”
Scholz also said that high speed Internet would help the local economy by luring vacationers to stay longer.
The committee is working with the University of Wisconsin-Extension and the county’s economic development corporation to expand broadband to the entire county. Federal and state grants would help fund the project.
