It seems odd to me to start with a title like that since normally I look for something a little catchier but I don't want to mince words here. Broadband Infrastructure is incredibly important, now more than ever. Take a look at this article from the news site Intelligencer titled "Remote Work Is Poised To Devastate America's Cities" where it states
A recent paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research estimated that 30 percent of all full-time workdays would be performed remotely by the end of 2022.
This may sound a bit gloom and doom-y for cities but think about what that means for suburbia and rural America. People will be looking for lower cost housing, safe cities, high quality education for their kids and guess what county checks all 3 boxes! You guessed it, Hancock County. The question is: Are we ready for that kind of change? My answer is a resounding yes; and I firmly believe that we can continue to adjust to bring more people into our communities who will shop in our businesses, utilize our organizations, and maybe even start their own businesses. All of which increases the economic vitality of this county.
In the coming weeks you'll see HCED post about Broadband Infrastructure Planning, you'll see surveys, and you might even be asked to take some. What we're doing is putting together a plan to cover more of Hancock County with high speed, reliable internet service. I'll be offering more information about the process as we move forward but for now, think about everything you, your family, and your business use the internet for, and we'll talk soon.
-Sam Harnack
Executive Director
Hancock County Economic Development
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