From the desk of Senator David Pearce

Access to the World

In today’s world, we have a vast network of information at our fingertips at a moment’s notice. With the spreading use of smart phones, the Internet is available for many at the simple swipe of a finger. It can be easy to forget, in the face of such convenience, that not every person has the capability.

As of July 13, Cass County will begin an expansion to the available broadband network that will connect upwards of 12,000 homes, 700 businesses and 118 community anchor institutions, such as schools, churches and recreation centers, throughout the county. This expansion not only represents high-speed broadband internet access to 90 percent of Cass County, it also opens doors such as unlimited calling and video services like distance learning. For too long, rural areas have relied on inadequate bandwidth to perform functions that many urban areas take for granted. The door to communication to the world will now open for these areas, from research and recreational reading to using the numerous sites available to contact friends and family. All this valuable information will be within our citizens’ reach, where it belongs.

This is imperative for a number of reasons. It will, of course, be used for education purposes to our schools and our students, but it also diversifies the county’s infrastructure and allows for a connection between individuals and businesses, not only to each other and their local communities, but to the county and the state as a whole. Much like the concerted effort in the 1920s and 30s to pave roads in order to streamline the path for getting agricultural products from the fields to the markets, and the push for rural electrification in the 30s and 40s in order to remain competitive on the worldwide agricultural platform, the efforts in the this broadband expansion will pave the way to a better future.

In addition to the benefits to residents and communities, this project will also impact local economic security by creating 287,040 job hours for workers (a typical job year is 2,080 hours). The amount of work it will take to implement this project will provide job security for those technicians and supervisors that take on the challenge of completing the county-wide venture. In addition to the positions that are being filled by the actual process of expansion, there is already a joint partnership with Casco Sheltered Workshop to begin a call center, providing even more local jobs.

The need for and use of electronic information is increasing daily. We want to make sure that Missouri remains competitive when it comes to creating jobs and promoting economic recovery and vitality. By taking this step, we are moving into a future equipped to help our citizens succeed, creating a community of informed Missourians with access to the world.

As always, please feel free to contact me or my staff with any questions or concerns at any time. We look forward to hearing your comments and suggestions and trying to answer any questions you may have. You can reach us by phone at 866-277-0882 (toll-free) or 573-751-2272, or by fax at 573-526-7381.

Senator David Pearce serves Bates, Cass, Johnson and Vernon counties in the 31st State Senatorial District.