KANABEC BROADBAND INITIATIVE

STRUT YOUR STUFF TOUR

August 26, 2014, 4:00 – 6:00 pm

Life Enrichment Center160 Valhalla Circle,

Mora, MN 55051

AGENDA

• Networking, informal discussion and refreshments• Welcome and introductions• Meeting purpose ~ Bernadine Joselyn• Community presentation• Blandin response • The future• Adjourn

COMMUNITY PRESENTATIONLet’s talk about …

• Who was involved?• What were findings of the planning process?• What activities and projects were implemented? • Reflection

WHO WAS INVOLVEDThe Kanabec Broadband Initiative is an adhoc group of

community organizations that recognize the importance of broadband to the economic competitiveness of Kanabec County - our residents, businesses and

institutions.

KBI member organizations include:Mora Area Chamber of Commerce, Mora & Ogilvie Public Schools, Kanabec Systems, FirstLight Health System, Kanabec County, City of Mora, Peoples National Bank of Mora, East Central MN Educational Cable Cooperative, Mora Housing & Redevelopment Authority, and East Central Regional Development Commission.

Actual people include:Karen Amundson, Marc Johnson, Keith Thelen, Katie Kerr, Kelly Cinquegrani, Patrick Christopherson, Beth Thorp, Joel Dhein, Doyle Jelsing, and Paul Larson.

FINDINGS OF THE PLANNING PROCESS

Community goals:• Establish a tele-commuting center;

• remote healthcare monitoring in homes;

• create an awareness of technical education opportunities;

• connect college students in health care with clients in Kanbec County via internet;

• education of community and businesses on “whys” and “how to use” and technology based skills;

• Life Enrichment Center gets high-speed access, computers, and video conferencing equipment;

• County-wide broadband committee to solve rural broadband access issue;

• increase access to tele-health;

• WiFi site creation, support and marketing;

• affordable website and social media development for businesses;

• create tech support / Internet café / public place access;

• community portal website;

• work to bring higher education to area schools and public;

• have a presence at large gatherings to help educate people; and

• interoperability between economic sectors.

ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS:PCS FOR PEOPLE

PRESENTED BY DOYLE JELSING

Project goals:• PCs for People is one of the driving forces attempting to improve

digital inclusion by eliminating the number of individuals without a computer or access to internet in the home.

• One of our main focuses is our PCs for Kids program. The goal of the program is to partner with elementary schools to ensure that every child has access to a computer and internet in their home. Having a computer available at home gives a significant advantage to the students by allowing immediate access to information and educational opportunities.

Best outcomes:• Place 50 computers in families of the Mora and Ogilvie school

districts including Head Start.

• Families with more than one student in the home had priority.

Most fun:We placed 52 computers.  Seeing the excitement their faces.

ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS:JOINED FOR HEALTH

PRESENTED BY KATIE KERR, MA, RHIA

Project goals:• To provide pre-surgical patient education at FirstLight Health System

(FLHS) Mora Clinic utilizing broadband and telehealth technology developed collaboratively by The College of St. Scholastica’s (CSS) physical therapy faculty/students and FirstLight clinicians. The education will provide information and empower patients and their families to anticipate surgical recovery needs.

• To provide on-site clinical education to FirstLight Health System rehabilitation staff in four topics, including effective use of telemedicine for patient education. We will also provide the Health System’s health information staff with needed training on the new coding system (ICD-10) that must be in place by October 2014 in all hospitals and clinics.

Best outcomes:• Brought together diverse perspectives – senior surgical population and

young healthcare staff & students.

• Demonstrated how broadband and technology can be leveraged to deliver healthcare and continuing education. 

Most fun:Senior citizens using and interacting with the technology.

ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS:LIFE ENRICHMENT CENTER TECHNOLOGY

ENHANCEMENTSPRESENTED BY ROSE DUNN & MARC JOHNSON

Project goals

Best outcomes

Most fun

ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS:STARTER WEBSITES AND TRAINING

PRESENTED BY KAREN AMUNDSON & KEITH THELEN

Project goals

Best outcomes

Most fun

ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS:COMMUNITY PORTAL

PRESENTED BY KAREN AMUNDSON & KEITH THELEN

Project goals

Best outcomes

Most fun

ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS:GOOGLE PLACE / SITE CLAIMING

PRESENTED BY KAREN AMUNDSON

Project goals

Best outcomes

Most fun

ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS:COMMUNITY WI-FI IMPROVEMENTS

PRESENTED BY KEITH THELEN & MARC JOHNSON

Project goals

Best outcomes

Most fun

ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS:TELE-WORK CENTER

PRESENTED BY BETH THORP

Project goal:Establish a tele-work center in downtown Mora for commuters and students to access high-speed broadband and computer / office equipment. The facility will provide area residents with additional employment and education opportunities, while making Kanabec County more attractive to potential residents wishing to continue employment or education elsewhere.

Best outcomes:• Provide space equipped with high-speed broadband and technology

access for Kanabec County residents and visitors to tele-commute for work and / or education purposes.

• Demand for extended hours of operation and services related to tele-commuting.

Most fun:This is a project in progress … the fun is still ahead!

REFLECTION

• If we knew then what we know now...• How could the Blandin team have been more helpful?• What community-wide impacts are you observing or

expecting?