Sonoma County Grand Jury
• 2020-2021
Broadband Access in Sonoma County Broadband is a Utility; The Quiet Crisis of Availability
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings and Recommendations 15 findings
F1
Broadband access is a necessity; it has become a “Utility”, like electricity, roads, or water, but broadband has not yet been formally recognized as such.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors consider recognizing and designating broadband as a “Utility” that needs prioritization by October 31, 2021. (F1)
F2
The need for high quality broadband access has been clear for some time, but the crisis brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic emphasized the urgency in addressing this need.
No recommendations for this finding
F3
Without high quality broadband access the ability to work at home, apply for a job, do distance learning, access telehealth or telemedicine, receive emergency notifications or other activities that require internet access is limited or absent.
No recommendations for this finding
F4
Broadband access is an equity issue; disadvantaged residents who lack the ability to pay for broadband services are further disadvantaged and hindered in opportunities for work, education, and other important aspects of society.
No recommendations for this finding
F5
Many residents and businesses in Sonoma County, particularly those in rural, coastal, forested, or mountainous areas, have no access, undependable access, or low-quality broadband service.
No recommendations for this finding
F6
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors has neither taken proactive action to improve broadband access nor exhibited a sense of urgency regarding this problem.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors adopt and support a plan to address a lack of broadband access in the County by November 30, 2021. (F6, F7, F8)
F7
The Sonoma County Administration and Board of Supervisors have delayed adopting a plan to address the problems of broadband affordability, availability, or low-quality access in Sonoma County.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors adopt and support a plan to address a lack of broadband access in the County by November 30, 2021. (F6, F7, F8)
F8
In the absence of an actual plan for expansion of broadband access, any actions or applications for funding in this area have been done on an ad hoc basis.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors adopt and support a plan to address a lack of broadband access in the County by November 30, 2021. (F6, F7, F8)
F9
Multiple agencies and groups have interests in broadband expansion. There is not yet a Countywide coordinated effort between departments and broadband providers to address implementing a broadband strategic plan.
Related Recommendations (2)
R4
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and Economic Development Board assemble an interdepartmental group to coordinate and oversee efforts in Broadband expansion by November 30, 2021. (F9, F10)
R5
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and the Economic Development Board consider the establishment of a broadband Joint Powers Agreement that includes Sonoma County, Mendocino County, and possibly other neighboring counties by November 30, 2021. (F9)
F10
Access Broadband Sonoma has been given the task of implementing broadband expansion in Sonoma County but it lacks the funding, staffing level, or authority to accomplish this goal.
Related Recommendations (2)
R4
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and Economic Development Board assemble an interdepartmental group to coordinate and oversee efforts in Broadband expansion by November 30, 2021. (F9, F10)
R6
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors give a high priority to addressing personnel levels sufficient to accomplish the goals of a broadband specific plan. (F10, F12)
F11
While inability to access adequate broadband is recognized as a significant problem, reliable quantitative data on unserved and underserved residents are lacking.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors provide staff and funding to allow the Economic Development Board and Access Sonoma Broadband to develop accurate data on broadband service for the County by December 31, 2021. (F11)
F12
Access to State and Federal grants will be necessary to finance broadband expansion. Without a plan, good data, and support mechanisms to apply for and utilize grant funds such funding is less likely.
Related Recommendations (1)
R6
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors give a high priority to addressing personnel levels sufficient to accomplish the goals of a broadband specific plan. (F10, F12)
F13
“Dig-Once” is widely held to be a useful concept, but it is not a well-defined policy within Sonoma County: installation of broadband infrastructure is often not considered as part of a project, and no mechanism exists to inform potential broadband suppliers of a project or to mandate conduit installation.
Related Recommendations (2)
R7
The Sonoma County Department of Transportation, Permit Sonoma and Access Sonoma Broadband develop procedures and standards that would ensure placement of broadband conduit in all appropriate situations by December 31, 2021. (F13)
R8
In the annual budget process the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and the Office of Administration include evaluation of the costs of laying cable or empty conduit in upcoming infrastructure projects by December 31, 2021. (F13)
F14
The definitions of “minimal broadband”, “acceptable broadband”, and “quality broadband” vary widely.
Related Recommendations (1)
R9
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, the Economic Development Board, and Access Sonoma Broadband include in the implementation of any broadband plan a clear requirement for the download and upload speeds of 100/20 proposed in State of California Executive Order N-73-20 to be the minimal acceptable level of service by September 30, 2021. (F14)
F15
Fiber optic cable is currently and for the foreseeable future the optimal means to carry broadband signals.
Related Recommendations (1)
R10
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors assure that any plan for broadband expansion should utilize fiber optic cable transmission or its equivalent whenever it is possible by November 30, 2021. (F15)
Conclusions 1
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CL1 Page 16Broadband should be viewed as a utility and managed as such. Utility status would be symbolic at present; transformation into a regulated public utility would require considerable legislative and administrative action. This Grand Jury investigation has found nearly universal acceptance that high-quality broadband access is necessary for all residents of Sonoma County—a reality made obvious by the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet good access is lacking for many County residents. High costs exclude many potential users and deepen economic divides: this is a clear issue of equity, social justice, and economic disparity affecting low-income individuals. Lack of available access or low bandwidth service excludes or hinders other residents, primarily in rural areas. The County has two technological classes of citizens: the well-connected, and the others who are partially or totally excluded from full use of the internet. Sonoma County has not met the challenge of assuring that good broadband service is available to all of its residents. County government does not appear to have given broadband a high enough priority for action. County leadership has delayed in adopting a plan, and it has not provided the resources needed to get things done. No one doubts that extension of broadband access to all County residents will be difficult, but widespread and effective action to organize and initiate activity, secure funding, and complete real projects is not yet apparent. The Grand Jury recognizes that expansion of broadband access is a complex and expensive problem and that the individuals involved in this effort are dedicated and competent. What is needed is strong leadership, direction, and financial support from the Board of Supervisors and Office of Administration. Without leadership to harness and mobilize a unified effort many Sonoma County residents and businesses will be left behind.
Commendations 2
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CM1 Page 16The Sonoma County Office of Education, School Districts, Schools, Teachers and Staff for their efforts to make distance learning effective during the pandemic.
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CM2 Page 16The Sonoma County Economic Development Board and Access Sonoma Broadband for, with very limited resources, their efforts to bring broadband to unserved and underserved residents of the County.
No Responses Found 4
Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.
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