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e-Vermont Bristol Hosts Public Forum

Tuesday July 27, 2010

    Bristol was recently selected as one of 12 pilot towns to participate in the e-Vermont Community Broadband Project. As a result, it will benefit from the expertise and resources of e-Vermont’s statewide partners as they help residents design ways to take full advantage of the Internet to create jobs, drive school innovation, provide social services, and increase civic involvement.

    e-Vermont is not stringing cable or fiber, but Bristol will receive technical assistance from a team of specialists to help implement projects that the community identifies. e-Vermont communities also receive e-business consulting, technical training and free computers for some Bristol Elementary classes, a new way to connect neighbors through Front Porch Forum, and an opportunity to select from a range of digital tools and in-depth training.

    Bristol residents can learn more, and help shape e-Vermont projects, by coming to the opening public forum on Tuesday, August 3 at 7:00 pm at the Bristol Rescue Squad building at 45 Monkton Road.  Bristol’s eVermont steering committee is hosting this session with light refreshments and plenty of time for discussion.
“e-Vermont offers Bristol a way to jumpstart our entry into 21st century technology,” explains Gerrie Huets, Bristol’s Recreation Director.  “This meeting is to hear our community’s ideas about how e-Vermont can help them both personally and professionally.”

    Towns around the state are considering ideas such as online access to government meetings, specialized computer classes for seniors, building online “buy local” maps, and creating guides to local recreational activities.

    Bristol’s application included ideas such as making free wifi available everywhere in the downtown, an online business directory of goods and services, educational and informational pod casts available on demand and net books available for loan at the Lawrence Library.  “Access to computers and the Internet is crucial for citizens of all ages and income levels.  This eVermont project will allow us to bring technology to older residents and to people who can’t afford access at home,” observed library director Nancy Wilson.

    “Input from this forum, and the future involvement of Bristol residents, will help clarify the priority projects we ask the e-Vermont partners to help us with over the next 12 months,” says Carol Wells, executive director of Bristol Downtown Community Partnership.

    To find out more about this meeting, contact Carol Wells, 453-7378 or [email protected]
e-Vermont is produced by the Vermont Council on Rural Development. Updates are posted at www.vtrural.org or contact Project Director Helen Labun Jordan at 802-225-6091 or [email protected].

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