NWBDC Meets with Assembly District 34 Representative Rob Swearingen

On Tuesday, July 30, 2013, Don Sidlowski, founder of NWBDC, had an hour-long meeting with Wisconsin Assembly District 34 Representative Rob Swearingen at his place of business Al-Gen Restaurant in Rhinelander. Along with other rural legislators, Representative Swearingen was instrumental in getting restored to Governor Walker’s current biennial budget the $4.3M in grants for broadband expansion in unserved and underserved rural areas. Working together, Rep. Swearingen and the NWBDC will identify target communities in District 34 that could qualify for pilot projects using the grant money. Says Don, “Having Representative Swearingen committed to making broadband one of the defining issues of his time in office is huge for Northern Wisconsin. Securing ongoing funding for broadband expansion and adoption is going to be an annual fight for a limited pool of dollars and won’t happen without legislators who understand its critical importance to job growth and economic expansion in Wisconsin”.

NWBDC Presents to Rhinelander Rotary Club

On Monday, July 29, 2013, NWBDC founder Don Sidlowski made a presentation to the Rhinelander Rotary Club on the use of broadband expansion and adoption as a tool for economic development and job creation in Wisconsin, particularly north of Highway 29. The Club had extended an invitation to learn how the Northwoods Broadband Development Coalition had evolved into being and to be told of some of the many ongoing initiatives in which the Coalition is involved. Don spoke about the Public Service Commission’s Link Wisconsin Region 2 project, working with the University of Wisconsin Extension Center for Community Technology Solutions, with the Wisconsin Rural Partners, and about the scores of presentations he has made across the state over the past seven years including the PSC Summit in April 2013 (go to 00:03:00 mark of the video), back-to-back speaking appearances at the Governor’s Northwoods Economic Development Summit, and the UW-Extension Broadband Boot Camp in May 2013, among a great many others.

NWBDC Meets with Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch

On Monday, July 22, 2013, Don Sidlowski, founder of NWBDC, had a 1.5 hour meeting with Wisconsin Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch in her office at 19 East in the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison. Joining Don, by invitation, was Tim Brown, the UW-Extension Community Natural Resource Economic Development Agent for Oneida County, as well as Robert Schlaeger, the Lt. Governor’s policy advisor. The wide-ranging discussion centered on the use of broadband expansion and adoption as a tool for economic development and job creation in Wisconsin, particularly north of Highway 29. In particular, the NWBDC wanted to secure a commitment from the Lt. Goveror – and got one – to support the mission and to help bring the Wisconsin Playbook for Broadband Progress to life. “Having the support of the Executive Branch of Wisconsin government is critical to moving forward the broadband initiative in the state”, says Don.