“Tension over how to bring high-speed Internet to rural, unserved parts of the state boiled over Monday night in Greenfield, as scores of WiredWest supporters were denied entrance to an “informational meeting” hosted by the Massachusetts Broadband Institute.
“Mass. Broadband, a division of the Mass. Technology Collaborative, is charged with investing $40 million to help build a network in western Massachusetts towns that don’t have high-speed Internet service.
“WiredWest, comprised of representatives from each of its member towns, proposes to make use of state and local tax dollars to bring broadband to the hilltowns for the purposes of business, education, property values, and quality of life. Conflict between the two groups has been brewing for months.
“Mass. Broadband on Dec. 1 issued a bombshell statement, saying it would withhold state funding from WiredWest without significant changes to its business plan and agreement with member towns. The statement touched off a firestorm of criticism from WiredWest.
“I’m the clerk of WiredWest, I’m on the executive committee; and I can’t get in,” said Jean Atwater-Williams of Sandisfield. “I drove an hour and a half to get here.”
“I’m a member of the New Salem Board of Selectmen, and I can’t get in,” said Wayne Hochey. “This is an example of the process we’ve had to put up with from MBI.”
(http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2015/12/wiredwest_members_barred_from.html)
danelabonte 