[Davisgig] City of Davis Staff Report on Broadband Released & Article about El Macero

Douglas A. Walter dawalter at dcn.org
Tue Dec 1 10:12:55 PST 2015


In no way attacking City staff or Gary Darling, I think this advice is a big step towards giving up the dream of a gigabit municipal fiber network.

I'm not sold on my "better alternative," but since the slow task force is a slow death, I'll suggest this instead:
This proposal calls for a second timeline to be started in July, 2016 for policy revisions, public hearings, etc. That's going to mean the City will have nothing in place for when the Comcast franchise agreement expires in 2018. The City Council should instead direct staff to explore a revenue bond or utility tax measure to fund deployment of gigabit fiber to the home (and office and school, etc.).

Thoughts?

On Dec 1, 2015, at 9:57 AM, Gary Darling wrote:

> It’s the role of staff to offer alternatives to the council and I too have found them to be very professional. Given the many ways that this network might play out it is wise to have a citizen’s advisory body with technical expertise appointed and up to speed. The task force is a reasonable thing to form at this juncture - I think we should have asked for this body early on to avoid the timing problems that now face the city. If we ask to take the task force item off of the consent calendar we will need to decide what we would ask for instead and have broad agreement between us on the new strategy. If someone has an alternative suggest it now, and let’s discuss. Otherwise we should just let the task force go forward as a consent item and do what we can to assure that the group serves the public good.
> 
> 
>                                                                                —Gary
> 
> 
>> On Dec 1, 2015, at 8:44 AM, Steve McMahon <steve at dcn.org> wrote:
>> 
>> The composition of the task force will also be very important, and we should keep an eye on the selection process.
>> 
>> In particular, we'll want to make sure that nobody is appointed who has a direct or indirect financial connection to the cable industry or works in any position funded via cable franchise funds.
>> 
>> On Tue, Dec 1, 2015 at 2:03 AM, Russell Neches <russell at vort.org> wrote:
>> I agree with this general assessment. I have alway been taken aback by
>> how conservative the city staff is. It makes for a weird contrast with
>> the city polity. They are, nevertheless, extremely professional.
>> 
>> It's critical to have support of the Council, preferably unanimously.
>> If there are any council members opposed, we need to figure out why,
>> and what to do about it.
>> 
>> 
>> Russell
>> 
>> On Tue, 2015-12-01 at 08:09 +0000, Shneor Sherman via Davisgig wrote:
>> > Once again, I have to say that if individual city council members are
>> > not on board, nothing will happen.If anyone is acquainted with any
>> > city council member, please have a conversation with them about this.
>> > We have made a pretty good rough cost estimate of $30 million. We
>> > don't necessarily need a bond, as a utility tax will do just as well.
>> > The franchise, as far as I understand, applies just to the city and
>> > school district. Pulling the item off the consent calendar  is
>> > definitely the best way to go. City staff might be pro comcast
>> > (status quo), if they have any position at all. That's why educated
>> > city council direction is vital.
>> >
>> > Shneor Sherman
>> > --------------------------------------------
>> > On Mon, 11/30/15, Steve McMahon <steve at dcn.org> wrote:
>> >
>> >  Subject: Re: [Davisgig] City of Davis Staff Report on Broadband
>> > Released & Article about El Macero
>> >  To: "Robert Nickerson @ Omsoft" <omrob at omsoft.com>
>> >  Cc: "davisgig at list.omsoft.com" <davisgig at list.omsoft.com>
>> >  Date: Monday, November 30, 2015, 9:56 PM
>> >
>> >  I think
>> >  the possibility of a Spring 2016 measure was ruled out the
>> >  moment that we knew we would have other financial matters on
>> >  the ballot. Nobody wants multiple tax measures before the
>> >  voters at the same time. The risk of everything failing is
>> >  too high.
>> >  I see this as a
>> >  reminder that the interests of the institutional city and
>> >  the staff are not identical with ours. We need to make sure
>> >  that the creation of a task force does not eliminate or even
>> >  reduce activist efforts. There needs to be some pressure
>> >  from the outside. This will help keep a task force that may
>> >  well have some pro-cable or anti-tax representatives
>> >  honest.
>> >  Whether the
>> >  item gets pulled from consent or not, I don't think it
>> >  would hurt to have some speakers pushing for an aggressive
>> >  timetable and a high priority.
>> >  On Mon, Nov 30, 2015 at
>> >  9:24 PM, Robert Nickerson <omrob at omsoft.com>
>> >  wrote:
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >      Hi
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >      Yeah so anyone else please give it a neutral read, is
>> >  our
>> >      characterization misplaced, in regards to this report
>> >  ?  Don't want
>> >      to mess up our graduation to task force status,
>> >  but...
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >      Could be we have to queue up in the public comment
>> >  tomorrow and ask
>> >      to be removed from consent.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >      I've emailed the city staff about the document and
>> >  its priorities to
>> >      see if I can get more understanding and clarity
>> >  verbally.
>> >
>> >      I'll post results tomorrow.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >      Thanks
>> >
>> >      RAN
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >      On 11/30/2015 8:22 PM, Douglas A.
>> >        Walter wrote:
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >        Hi. It seems clear to me that we should
>> >  not let the current
>> >          Council accept the staff recommendation. I would
>> >  argue that in
>> >          2018, when the Comcast franchise agreement expires,
>> >  the
>> >          City+Schools will feel desperate to assure that
>> >  their pipes to
>> >          the Internet don't get cut off (or busted back
>> >  to modem speeds),
>> >          and that will help Comcast's negotiating
>> >  position on franchise
>> >          renewal. I haven't taken the time to read the
>> >  report, but does
>> >          it not sound like this is a very important deciding
>> >  point?
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >        I'd say NO to the timeline, and no to the
>> >  Task Force as
>> >          proposed.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >          On Nov 30, 2015, at 7:53 PM, Robert
>> >  Nickerson wrote:
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >             Hi
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >              I can only agree on that, now that I have read
>> >  this over.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >              The last interactions I've had with the City
>> >  Staff have been
>> >              negative
>> >
>> >              on having a June 2016 vote because of the
>> >  competing tax
>> >              measure,
>> >
>> >               and they suggested 11/2016 as more
>> >  appropriate.
>> >
>> >                ked them to look into the reported
>> >  requirement that an
>> >              election where there is a bond issue
>> >
>> >              needed to be a city council election, and have
>> >  received no
>> >              definitive answer.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >               Looks like this task force is a step back from
>> >  even getting
>> >              municipal Fiber optic,
>> >
>> >               but more  focused on studying broadband in
>> >  Davis,  and a
>> >              lot of extra effort.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >              Anyone have any ideas on what to do with this ?
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >              The staff report and recommendation will be
>> >  presented as a
>> >              consent item tomorrow at the city council.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >              Thanks
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >              P.S. How does this relate to the Sports
>> >  Complex?
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >              On 11/30/2015 11:34 AM, Shneor
>> >                Sherman wrote:
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >                The timeline will not allow for a 2016
>> >  referendum or any popular vote in 2016. This proposal calls
>> >  for a second timeline to be started in July, 2016 for policy
>> >  revisions, public hearings, etc. It's probably more
>> >  realistic to look at 2018, when Comcast's franchise
>> >  expires.
>> >
>> >  Shneor Sherman
>> >  --------------------------------------------
>> >  On Mon, 11/30/15, Robert Nickerson <rob at omsoft.com>
>> >  wrote:
>> >
>> >   Subject: [Davisgig] City of Davis Staff Report on Broadband
>> >  Released & Article about El Macero
>> >   To: "davisgig at list.omsoft.com"
>> >  <davisgig at list.omsoft.com>
>> >   Date: Monday, November 30, 2015, 11:08 AM
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >       Hi All
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >       1) Thanks to all your efforts, we have a council item
>> >  on
>> >   the consent
>> >       calendar for Tues Dec 1 meeting to recommend Davis
>> >  adopt
>> >   the Yolo
>> >       Broadband Plan and make a Task Force to help the city
>> >   decide what is
>> >       best to do for Davis for fiber.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >       A copy of the staff report is here:
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >       http://documents.cityofdavis.org/Media/Default/Documents/PDF/Ci
>> > tyCouncil/CouncilMeetings/Agendas/20151201/05F-Broadband-Update.pdf
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >       Its a rather large document because it has the Yolo
>> >   Broadband Plan
>> >       attached to it. The details about the Task force are in
>> >   the first
>> >       pages.  I don't think this would have materialized
>> >   at all at the
>> >       City level without everyone being a force, and asking
>> >   for and
>> >       delivering on meetings, and Public Outreach.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >       2) An article about community businesses funding an
>> >   Upgrade for El
>> >       Macero -
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >   http://www.davisenterprise.com/business/real-estate-company-enhance
>> > s-el-maceros-internet-connectivity/
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >       Does anyone have any insight on whether this is really
>> >  a
>> >   Fiber
>> >       deployment or just paying a deposit to fund a build out
>> >   by Comcast?
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >       Thanks
>> >
>> >       --
>> >
>> >         Rob Nickerson
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >         CEO
>> >
>> >         Om Networks
>> >
>> >         UCD Class of 96
>> >
>> >         C: 530-848-3865
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >         If we have helped you in a positive way, please give
>> >   us a good
>> >
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>> >         and/or yelp.com.
>> >
>> >         Please like us on Facebook.
>> >         and put us in your circle at Google+
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >   -----Inline Attachment Follows-----
>> >
>> >   _______________________________________________
>> >
>> >   Please ref our wiki for details, documents and contacts:
>> >
>> >   http://www.dcn.davis.ca.us/~help/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=start
>> >
>> >   Davisgig mailing list
>> >   Davisgig at list.omsoft.com
>> >   http://list.omsoft.com/mailman/listinfo/davisgig
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >              --
>> >
>> >                Rob Nickerson
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >                CEO
>> >
>> >                Om Networks
>> >
>> >                UCD Class of 96
>> >
>> >                C: 530-848-3865
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >                If we have helped you in a positive way,
>> >  please give us a
>> >                good
>> >
>> >                recommendation at daviswiki.org,
>> >                and/or yelp.com.
>> >
>> >                Please like us on Facebook.
>> >                and put us in your circle at Google+
>> >
>> >            _______________________________________________
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >            Please ref our wiki for details, documents and
>> >  contacts:
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > http://www.dcn.davis.ca.us/~help/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=start
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >            Davisgig mailing list
>> >
>> >            Davisgig at list.omsoft.com
>> >
>> >            http://list.omsoft.com/mailman/listinfo/davisgig
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >                =-=-=
>> >                Doug Walter, home edition
>> >                dawalter at dcn.org
>> >                Wag more (bark less)
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >        _______________________________________________
>> >
>> >  Please ref our wiki for details, documents and contacts:
>> >
>> >  http://www.dcn.davis.ca.us/~help/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=start
>> >
>> >  Davisgig mailing list
>> >  Davisgig at list.omsoft.com
>> >  http://list.omsoft.com/mailman/listinfo/davisgig
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >      --
>> >
>> >        Rob Nickerson
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >        CEO
>> >
>> >        Om Networks
>> >
>> >        UCD Class of 96
>> >
>> >        C: 530-848-3865
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >        If we have helped you in a positive way, please give
>> >  us a good
>> >
>> >        recommendation at daviswiki.org,
>> >        and/or yelp.com.
>> >
>> >        Please like us on Facebook.
>> >        and put us in your circle at Google+
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >  _______________________________________________
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >  Please ref our wiki for details, documents and contacts:
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >  http://www.dcn.davis.ca.us/~help/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=start
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >  Davisgig mailing list
>> >
>> >  Davisgig at list.omsoft.com
>> >
>> >  http://list.omsoft.com/mailman/listinfo/davisgig
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >  -----Inline Attachment Follows-----
>> >
>> >  _______________________________________________
>> >
>> >  Please ref our wiki for
>> >  details, documents and contacts:
>> >
>> >  http://www.dcn.davis.ca.us/~help/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=start
>> >
>> >  Davisgig mailing list
>> >  Davisgig at list.omsoft.com
>> >  http://list.omsoft.com/mailman/listinfo/davisgig
>> > _______________________________________________
>> >
>> > Please ref our wiki for details, documents and contacts:
>> >
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>> >
>> > Davisgig mailing list
>> > Davisgig at list.omsoft.com
>> > http://list.omsoft.com/mailman/listinfo/davisgig
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> 
>> Please ref our wiki for details, documents and contacts:
>> 
>> http://www.dcn.davis.ca.us/~help/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=start
>> 
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>> http://list.omsoft.com/mailman/listinfo/davisgig
> 
> _______________________________________________
> 
> Please ref our wiki for details, documents and contacts:
> 
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Doug Walter (home address)
dawalter at dcn.org
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