County included in ADECA web research grant – The Brewton Customary

Escambia County has been named in an Web Conectivty research grant with an announcement coming final week from state officers.
Centerfire Financial CEO Jess Nicholas made the announcment in Atmore final week and the same announcement was made in Brewton throughout the identical week.
Brewton Metropolis Clerk Brooke Hartin mentioned a public assembly will permit extra particulars to be launched concerning the grant and the research.
:Representatives from the Alabama Division of Financial and Comunity Affairs might be right here to offer technical help concerning new fuding for broadband efforts for Escambia County,” Hartin mentioned. “ADECA is asking for collaboration from native jurisdictions to allow them to present a county-specific profile to assist us faucet into the funding that can circulate down from the state over the following few years.”
In accordance with Nicholas, the grant won’t price anybody within the county something for the research to start. The grant was acquired for the state by way of the Financial Improvement Authrity and might be administered by way of the Alabama Division of Economics and Neighborhood Affairs (ADECA).
“Escambia – together with the opposite 9 counties – are beneficiaries of the grant,” Nicholas mentioned. “So no cash will circulate on to the county by way of this — federal funds will go to ADECA, which can use these funds to pay for the research, however the county will obtain the outcomes of the research as if it had employed a marketing consultant by itself.”
A particular presentation and informational assembly might be held in Brewton in regards to the research grant. The assembly is about for Jan. 26 at Brewton Metropolis Corridor on Douglas Avenue. Elected officers will meet at 9 a.m. with most of the people assembly set to start at 1 p.m.
“ADECA, the company they’ve contracted with on the grant, are going to be there to take neighborhood suggestions,” Nicholas mentioned.
Nicholas mentioned the 1 p.m. assembly is for enterprise leaders, neighborhood members and those that are pushing for higher Web entry for the children. He added that organizations ship one one who can symbolize the group as seats will replenish quick.
“The explanation for the survey is that current service maps, notably those which were accessible for years by way of the USA Division of Agriculture and different entities, are woefully old-fashioned,” Nicholas mentioned. “Most personal firms have requested us prior to now, as we’ve tried to recruit them, if we had already carried out a feasibility research and/or mapping research of the county, the cities and recognized who had Web, who didn’t and who had substandard web. These surveys usually are not low cost.”
Nicholas mentioned the grant can pay for the survey.
“As a result of we had been one of many 10 counties chosen for this program, the research might be grant-funded fairly than us having to do it ourselves,” he mentioned. “The price of these research can fluctuate; they’re normally within the mid- to higher 5 figures, typically even six figures. I’m undecided how a lot cash ADECA acquired by way of EDA for this, however we’re very grateful they picked us regardless.”

Andrew Garner, edtior of The Atmore Advance, contributed to this story.