Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Digital Equity topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Pittsfield council accepts $99,972 MassTech grant to add public Wi‑Fi at Durant Park
Summary
The Pittsfield City Council voted to accept a $99,972 Massachusetts Technology Collaborative digital equity grant to add public Wi‑Fi at Durant Park, fund signage and hire a digital equity ambassador as part of a multi‑phase plan; councilor Sherr abstained due to an affiliation with a partner organization.
The Pittsfield City Council on a unanimous voice vote with one abstention approved an order accepting $99,972 from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative to fund a first phase of the city’s digital equity plan, including adding two public Wi‑Fi access points at Durant Park, wayfinding signage downtown and a digital equity ambassador to lead outreach and training.
City staff told the council the effort grew from a year of planning with Berkshire Regional Planning and local departments including IT and the library. An unidentified city staff member who presented the plan said the grant funds would expand free public Wi‑Fi, help hold instructional sessions on topics such as cybersecurity and navigation, and provide outreach materials in languages other than English. “We have been meeting as a group for a year along with Berkshire Regional Planning to develop a digital equity plan to bridge that digital divide here in the city of Pittsfield,” the presenter said.
The presenter and Director Obasihan emphasized that the city’s outdoor Wi‑Fi is a public, unauthenticated network intended to increase access in public spaces, not a substitute for in‑home broadband. Staff said the network’s peak performance could reach about 100 megabits per second but the typical observed speed averages near 60 megabits per second. The presenter also said the grant‑funded work will be built into IT’s operating budget so the city can continue the service after the grant ends.
Councilors asked how the new access fits into broader connectivity work. Councilor Guimpeazzi asked for details about where current city access points exist and whether Durant Park would be the only park added; staff said the city currently operates roughly 10 downtown access points and two at the Common and that Durant Park would be the second park with city‑sponsored Wi‑Fi. Councilor Acosta said the expansion is “really exciting” for neighborhoods near Durant Park but sought confirmation that the grant would not provide comprehensive in‑home service; staff again said the grant targets outdoor access and digital literacy, while larger infrastructure or residential service would come from other grants or private ISPs.
Councilor Sherr asked to have an abstention recorded because of an affiliation with a partner of the project; the clerk noted the abstention and the measure passed.
Next steps: staff said they'll finalize vendor agreements and hire the digital equity ambassador funded by the grant, and the city will install and activate the access points as planning and procurement allow.
