Koochiching Technology InitiativeBBC Vision Meeting Results

Background and process:This report documents the discussion and decisions made by community members at the “Vision Meeting” launch of the Koochiching Technology Initiative’s two year participation in the Blandin Broadband Community program. The meeting was held on February 12, 2019 at the International Falls High School Library. Approximately 40 people were in attendance, representing key sectors of the community, including business, education, health care, government and residents.

After introductions of all attendees and a brief review of the BBC Program, attendees listened and offered input into the preliminary Intelligent Community benchmarking report. The benchmarking process used information gathered from community organizations as a community conversation starter and as a tool to measureprogress over the two-year Broadband Community program.

In essence, the Intelligent Community method (intelligentcommunity.org) can be summarized as follows: With a strong base ofbroadband infrastructure and services a community can work to support the creation,attraction and support of a knowledge

workforce; spur the adoption of innovation throughout the community; adopt sustainability practices and address digital inclusion. With these activities, a community can create both internal and external marketing and advocacy messages to attract people and investment.

Following the benchmarking presentation, a working group formed for each Intelligent Community element. Participants were free to choose which group they joined. These groups delved more deeply into that topic area using the benchmarking discussion as a starting point. Attendees brought their own more experience and nuanced knowledge to the discussion. Each of the groups were charged with and accomplished the following tasks for their assigned Intelligent Community element:

a) Create a list of Assets and Gaps/Barriersb) Create a list of Desired Outcomesc) Create a list of Project Ideas that would move the community towards the Desired Outcomes

After group reporting, attendees voted to establish project priorities. They also had an opportunity to join specific project teams of their choice.

The following report provides a summary of the findings as presented to the community and as capturedfrom the community discussion.

The map below illustrates the availability of broadband within Koochiching County. Areas in red – the majority of the map – are considered unserved (broadband services of less than 25 Mb/3 Mb). Areas in purple are considered under-served (services between 25 Mb/3 Mb and 100 Mb/20 Mb). Areas in greenare considered served (services in excess of 100 Mb/20 Mb). Unserved areas area considered a priority for the Minnesota Border to Border Broadband Grant program.

Local Presentation• Internet service is good on cable and fiber, poor but improving with DSL and horrible otherwise.• There’s a good fiber infrastructure (backhaul) for ISPs and their future expansion in our county.• This link shows underserved areas potentially with enough people for commercial ISPs to invest.• We will assess interest and willingness to pay through collaborative surveys with Paul Bunyan.

Community DiscussionAssets BarriersFiber backbone exists Majority of geographical area is unservedChampions with community

If we are very successful, in the next 18 months on Broadband, we will achieve or make significant progress on the following desired outcomes:

Completed community survey Wire-to-the-home in-process with focus on 5 prioritized areas (see below) WISP to the home where wire not feasible Cellular data/voice expansion Better student connectivity Broadband access to key businesses in current priority unserved areas

Local Presentation

Workforce Assets• Workforce Center• Online training• Community Education• Public library• RRCC customized training

Workforce Challenges/Trends• Broadband access• Mismatch between labor skills and job requirements• Entrepreneurial culture and support• Urban youth migration• Attract young professionals

Community DiscussionAssets BarriersOn-site training through established employers – UHG, PCA, VNP...

Lack of sufficient connectivity to encourage “work from home” opportunities

Apprentice/internship programs that could encourage youth employees to stay in areas

Slow infrastructure frustrates business needs

Attractive areas don’t have attractive connectivityPeople don’t want to be unconnected anymoreHard to attract year-round residents or seasonal residents who love the area but not the “ice box”How to create opportunities for the whole family (trailing spouse)Local cultural reluctance to adapt to technology

Desired OutcomesIf we are very successful on Knowledge Workforce, in the next 18 months, we will achieve or make significant progress on the following desired outcomes:

Create inventory of craftsman/skills to create makerspace “guild” opportunities Coworking and makerspace opportunities Possible collaboration between coworking and makerspace efforts (“comaking”?) Develop techno-tourism Learning Incubation Center such as “Lynda.com” (now Linked-In Learning) In-person facilitator “in-person tech support” Encourage interest group ongoing conversations

Local Presentation• Most business and governments are doing the bare minimum use of internet opportunities• UHG is innovating to a home-based workforce• Dispersed community of startups• Granite Digital and Small Town Tech are looking to modernize local business• City of Ranier revitalization• Cold weather testing demands broadband

Community DiscussionAssets BarriersSmall Town Tech Young entrepreneurial critical thinking skillsVNP has a lot of tech innovation going on Communication across demographicsRobotics 4H program Utilizing area expertsTech programs at all schools Idea follow-throughEntrepreneurial creativity Rural broadband affordabilityBackus Old-fashioned mindsetRRCC Low participation in educational programsCold weather testingIFalls library

If we are very successful on Innovation, in the next 18 months, we will achieve or make significant progress on the following desired outcomes:

A strong and collaborative cohort of young entrepreneurs Makerspace Community classes Dynamic collaboration with experts and students

Local Presentation• Our schools are investing in tech and skills• Public Wi-Fi at a few locations, more needed• PCs for People is available but limited by supply and income requirements• Untapped potential for local refurbishing of computers and phones• Skills training available, but underutilized• Coworking and public Wi-Fi can help address equity issues

Community DiscussionAssets BarriersClasses offered Poor attendanceWifi availability Not enough wifi access & wifi affordabilityComputer availability Computer affordabilitySchools working on 1 to 1 access Tech education availability and attendanceMost students have their own phones Poor access

If we are very successful on Digital Equity in the next 18 months, we will achieve or make significant progress on the following desired outcomes:

Kids work with elders at their places How can we better market both on and off the internet? Link PCs for People to classes for computer skills Campaign promoting where the public can access Wi-Fi

Community Presentation• Government and utility incentives exist• Energy conservation tech is underutilized• Local tech refurbishing potential• PCA hydropower• Friends Garbage recycling expansion• Storm sewer labeling “drains to river”

Assets Barriers

While no group formed around advocacy, community discussion yielded two possible desired outcomes:

Refurbishing computers Talk to heating and cooling companies about what technologies are out there – moderately-

smart-home

Local Presentation• KTI is working to facilitate a community wide vision for our technological future• Community branding:

• “This could be your office view”• “Work where you play”• “IceBox of the Nation”

• Community web portal potential for locals, recruiting and tourism

Community DiscussionAssets BarriersVoyage Forward marketing partnership – developing messaging/strategy

Funding: many ideas get stuck due to lack of funding or knowledge of where to find it

KHS – Geo-siting(?)/App Large rural internet gaps impact locals & touristsVoyagers Nat’l park / Rainy River / outdoors Major resort areas under-served for broadbandCounty high population areas have good access Local businesses have little presence on the webKEDA – “Your Ticket Home” campaign Local digital marketing initiativesInfrastructure “backhaul” backbone available E-commerce & other online business engagementCold weather testing successful model Skilled/experienced workforceArrowhead 135 live geotracking of competitors Telco/cellular/broadband investments in our area

If we are very successful on Advocacy in the next 18 months, we will achieve or make significant progress on the following desired outcomes:

Improved community attitude towards the internet and its opportunities Increased tourism Strong, unified digital marketing initiative Increased online e-commerce and business presence More people have high-speed online access More opportunities and resources for home-based and start-up companies

Suggested Projects

The following project ideas were put forth by Vision meeting attendees. Each participant could vote twice with their “dots” and they could keep voting with their commitment to work on that project. Those that lent their names to specific projects should be considered project champions and lead efforts to develop detailed work plans, project partnerships, budgets and timelines.

Broadband Cell tower expansions

o 3 dotso Sonja Pelland, Jim Yount, Tricia Heibel

Public Wifi in Littleforko 1 doto Sonja Pelland, Jim Yount, Nate Phillips

Free public access in parkso 2 dotso Sonja Pelland

Expand wireless service - WISPo 6 dotso Nate Phillips, Joe Mershon, Jim Yount, Robin Bjorkquist

Blue tooth sound system in elementary school gymo 1 doto Shelby Nosan

Wired broadband to the homeo Nate Phillips, Joe Mershon, Jim Yount

Knowledge Workforce 1:1 Training at library – inter-generational

o 2 dotso Diane Adams, Douglas Skrief, Tricia Heibel

Geocaching training and events (kids and tourists)o 2 dotso Bob DeGross

Texting reference serviceo Diane Adams

School projects – food growth & marketingo 2 dotso Chris Hemstad, Michele McDonald

More job training at high schoolo 2 dotso Isabelle Hemstad, Chris Hemstad, Tricia Heibel, Ted Saxton, Beth Slatinski

School tech equipment sustainabilityo No dots and no champions, but all school districts are addressing such issues.

Innovation Portable makerspace(s)

o 2 dotso Diane Adams, Michele McDonald, Cody Bose, Birchdale – Soren & Mike

Makerspaceo 3 dotso Diane Adams, Michele McDonald, Cody Bose, Birchdale – Soren & Mike

Coworking space – multiple siteso 3 dotso Tricia Heibel, Diane Adams, Jim Yount, Robin Bjorkquist, Bob DeGross, Chris Hemstad,

Soren Olesen, Mike Hansono Not present: Patti Ballan, Darrel Bradley, Sara Smith, Sage Johnson

Honor our Elders history projecto 2 dotso Kim McDonald, Missy Tate

Directory of existing free public wifi o 2 dotso Jim Yount, Bob DeGross, Tricia Heibel

Community experts in classrooms.o 1 doto Chris Hemstad, Jim Yount, Ted Saxton, Tricia Heibelo Not present: Jolen Simon

Virtual Reality in classrooms for instructional purposeso 4 dotso Ted Saxton, Brandon Vang

Interactive TV studio for video learning and experiencingo 3 dotso Bob DeGross, Robin Bjorkquist, Tricia Heibel

Digital Equity Devices and connectivity for homeless & disadvantaged

o 1 doto Ted Saxton

Mentoring – young to old, and old to youngo 2 dotso Douglas Skrief, Michele McDonald

KCC-TV – address sound qualityo 1 doto Robin Bjorkquist, Joe Mershono Not present: Darcy Sullivan

Free internet for studentso 1 dot

Sustainability Computer refurbishing project

o Jim Yount, Bob DeGross, Ted Saxton

Advocacy Voyage Forward community marketing push

o 4 dotso Tricia Heibel, Sonja Pelland

Effective marketing program for community educationo No dots or champions.

Video production in support of community marketing – local virtual tourso Bob DeGross, Sonja Pelland, Chris Hemstad, Tricia Heibel

Business e-commerce/tech training serieso Tricia Heibel

Reboot KEDA’s “Your Ticket Home” campaigno Tricia Heibelo Not present: Mike Wellcome

Next Steps:1) Project groups are free to begin their work immediately.2) The KTI steering committee will help each proposed project organize with “champions” who will

lead the project and “stewards” who will actively help make it happen. Each project will have a main contact on the steering committee to facilitate a strong application for a Blandin Broadband Community Grant and other funding sources.

3) Additional participants and project ideas are welcome beyond those proposed at the vision meeting.

4) The KTI steering committee may recruit leaders for those projects without volunteers, suggest merging ideas or try to identify other projects that might want to incorporate all or a portion of the project concept.

5) Project teams are responsible for developing the project with their lead organization and for writing and submitting their Community Grant application. Applications will first be submitted to the KTI steering committee for review by a date to be determined (but not later than April 30 th, 2019).

6) The KTI steering committee will prioritize the applications as necessary and submit a “first round” slate of applications to the Blandin Foundation for final approval. Some projects may need to be withheld to await a second round of funding or may be recommended to pursue other sources of funding.

Please email info@koochiching.tech with any questions or suggestions.

Thank you for your participation!