[Peace] public broadband and vital meetings for making it a viable non-profit

[Karen Medina]

Care about the future of public broadband? Please attend two essential
meetings this week: Monday 7pm Urbana City Hall & Tuesday 7pm
Champaign City Hall.

In a recently unveiled proposal, there was a plan to give all $33
million in public, network assets to a private, non-profit with little
public oversight.

Thanks to all the public pressure, the cities are now considering
leasing to a non-profit and have made some improvements to the bylaws.
But our work is not over.

Now is the time to speak up to ensure the network we worked so hard to
fund and build operates in the public interest.
The documents for Urbana City Council's meeting tonight can be seen here.

Here are talking points DC will be making tonight:

- This network was created to bridge the digital divide and stimulate
local job creation - it should continue to operate with this mission.

- The public should retain ownership of the network, rather than
giving it away. Ownership should be shared in trust and not just with
one of the cities or the university.
- The new network operator should not be allowed to take action
without a public meeting accessible to the public. Right now, the
bylaws allow them to take action in writing, meet in another part of
the country or world, and meet in a place not accessible to the
public.

- Closed session should require 2/3 vote.

- UC2B will need time to be financially solvent. We need to support
this fledgling network so that our hard work and significant public
investment can grow.