Springfield DPW Director presented a plethora of GoNetspeed installations projected to occur in the Indian Orchard neighborhood. Councilors decided to hold off on approving the projects until they learn more.
Photo credit: Focus Springfield
SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield City Council elected to wait until its September meeting to vote on a GoNetspeed project in Indian Orchard that would connect residents to the company’s services.
Although councilors appeared receptive to the GoNetspeed work, the body wants to learn more about the project before deciding on whether to approve it.
In all likelihood, discussions around the subject will happen during one of the committee meetings before the items are sent back to the full council.
“I, at this moment, do not feel comfortable voting on this,” said At Large City Councilor Jose Delgado. “While we do need fiber, I think we need it all over the city. I think we need to make sure that we vet this and anybody else who comes through before we make a decision.”
DPW Director Chris Cignoli told the council during its July 14 regular meeting that GoNetspeed is looking to install underground conduits between utility poles in neighborhoods down the Boston Road and Parker Street corridors.
According to the City Council agenda, the 20-plus installations will allow residents to connect to the company’s internet and other services.
Cignoli said the projects are likely just the beginning for GoNetspeed in Springfield.
“As they move through the city over the next one or two or three years, they will be in most of the city, throughout all the wards in [Springfield],” Cignoli said. “But as they’re coming through the city, they’re starting up in the northeast corner because they are coming out of Ludlow.”
The projects come at a time when Springfield is studying digital equity through its Working Group on Digital Equity, which is chaired by Delgado. The group is working with Pioneer Valley Planning Commission on a final report that will delineate the city’s greatest needs when it comes to internet access and technological needs. Set to release later this month, the report is the result of many public meetings across the city where the group heard from residents about their experiences in the digital realm.
During the council meeting, Delgado said he was not against the idea of GoNetspeed bringing their services to Springfield, but he wants to make sure no one is left behind, and no one company is monopolizing the city’s resources without further scrutiny.
“I’m for competition, but if we make this decision now, there are no regulations that the state has that will keep [GoNetspeed] from building out the whole city,” Delgado said. “No other company will look at Springfield because the areas that have the higher median incomes have already been touched, and so that’s why I’m saying let’s not rush into a decision until we make sure that we do the best thing for the entire city.”
Ward 4 City Councilor Malo Brown agreed with Delgado’s sentiments, stating that it is important to make sure lower income residents will eventually benefit from GoNetspeed’s offerings.
“I would like to review and make sure that the people in the inner city and Mason Square area are having the opportunity to have access to these services,” Brown said. “So, I have questions as far as their selection process and when will they start providing services to the inner city.”
At Large City Councilor Tracye Whitfield felt it was necessary to continue the conversation around the projects to learn more about GoNetspeed’s privacy policies, customer service approach and whether there will be any lag time issues.
“It’s not so much the time of installing the conduits or the interruption and traffic, but there are other questions that I think I would like to flesh out,” Whitfield said.
The council voted 11-2 in favor of continuing the GotNetspeed discussion at another date. Only Ward 8 City Councilor Zaida Govan and At Large City Councilor Kateri Walsh voted against the motion.
In her remarks to the council, Walsh felt it was necessary to provide these services to residents as soon as possible.
“These are underground conduits that people have probably requested,” Walsh said. “I don’t disagree that we should have more discussion about the company, but to hold up 30 people or families that might be waiting for this service, I can’t vote for that.”
If the installations pass, Cignoli said the construction will cause minimal traffic issues because the majority of the work is done in the tree belt. He added that the work would start immediately after the council’s vote.
The full list of where GoNetspeed will work is inside the council’s July 14 agenda: tinyurl.com/mu2vy5ef.
