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Martinsville’s city-run ISP outlines expansion plan, cites ARPA and state grant support
Summary
Jared Pruitt, the city CTO, said MyNet and MIS completed cybersecurity and systems upgrades and that ARPA funds plus a $700,000 state grant would move a planned broadband expansion toward the roughly $5.4 million estimated cost.
Jared Pruitt, Martinsville’s chief technology officer, told council that the city’s MIS and MyNet teams completed several internal IT upgrades and are shifting to an expansion phase for the municipal broadband network.
Pruitt listed completed projects — a consolidated ticketing system, a Windows 11 upgrade across city devices, server virtualization and a move to Microsoft 365 — and said cybersecurity and disaster-recovery planning are priorities going forward. “Our mission at MyNet is straightforward, to deliver fast, reliable connectivity with hometown quality of service,” he said.
On expansion, Pruitt said the council provided unanimous support in February 2024 to pursue a citywide buildout. He said initial expansion funding included ARPA allocations and that the Commonwealth awarded MyNet a $700,000 grant that, when combined with existing funds, would help toward the roughly $5.4 million price tag for broader coverage. Pruitt said the city has also pursued other state funding sources and that the buildout will focus first on underserved neighborhoods.
Why it matters: the city-owned ISP is positioned as a public option to offer affordable, symmetrical service and was credited with annual telecom cost savings for municipal operations. Council discussion flagged the need for continued funding and cybersecurity investments as buildout proceeds.
Pruitt asked council to continue support for the initiative; council acknowledged the presentation and asked staff to coordinate funding strategy and community outreach.
