Jim Wells County Community Network
October 12, 2001 For more information, contact:
For immediate release Alice Stanford (361) 664-2981 (x3021)
Jim Wells County Community Network Selects DRC Consultants to
Assist in Plans to Expand Public Access to the Internet
The Jim Wells County Community Network has selected DRC Consultants, an Alice consulting firm, to assist in the preparation of the Jim Wells County Community Network Plan. The firm was selected from three proposals by a committee including representatives of the project’s collaborative partners: Coastal Bend College – Alice Center , Alice Public Library and the City of Alice , Alice Independent School District , and Christus Spohn Hospital Alice.
The objectives of the Community Network are to expand public access to the Internet, establish a community website, and provide computer training for residents. Up to $500,000 in implementation grant funding is available from the Texas Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund Board (TIFB) contingent upon acceptance of the Network Plan by TIFB. DRC Consultants will provide comprehensive planning and consulting services for the term of the planning period. Such services will include:
“ Coastal Bend College is proud to be a part of this important initiative for our community,” stated Alice Stanford , Director of the Alice Center and Project Leader. She announced, “The collaborative partners will meet next week to finalize the project work plan. We plan to distribute the needs survey to local residents over the next 30-days, and a strategic planning retreat for the Planning Committee will be scheduled for mid-November.” Stanford stated, “This is a tremendous opportunity for Jim Wells County to close the digital divide by providing greater access to information and opportunities for our citizens.”
DRC Consultants was recently established by David R. Cich, past-director of the Alice & Jim Wells County Economic Development Council (EDC) and executive vice president/CEO of the Alice Chamber of Commerce. Cich has more than 22 years experience in chamber of commerce and financial institution management. As director of the EDC, he assisted in preparation of the Community Network grant application. DRC Consultants’ project team will include the Corpus Christi firms of Olivarri & Associates, Inc.; Morehead, Dotts & Associates (MD&A); and
D & J Electronics. Olivarri & Associates prepared the grant application. MD&A will assist in the planning for the design, development and marketing of the community web site. D & J Electronics, a computer hardware, software and network maintenance firm, will provide technical assistance.
Cich stated, “DRC Consultants and our project team our honored to be a part of this effort to connect more Jim Wells County citizens to the Internet.” He added, “This initiative will offer unlimited opportunities to citizens of all ages.”
BACKGROUND : On September 19 th , the Jim Wells County Community Network announced that the Network had been awarded a $525,000 grant from TIFB. The grant will fund a Community Network for Jim Wells County .
The grant includes $25,000 for planning and $500,000 for implementation of the Network Plan. The Network Plan must be submitted to TIFB by February 1, 2002 . The implementation funds are contingent upon acceptance of the Network Plan. After acceptance by TIFB, the Network Plan must be implemented by April 30, 2003 . The grant also requires a 10 percent local funding match. Southwestern Bell has awarded a $2,500 Economic Excellence Grant to the Alice & Jim Wells Economic Development Council to provide matching funds for the planning phase.
The grant application was submitted on behalf of 21 local organizations. Alice Stanford , Project Leader and Director of Coastal Bend College-Alice Center, and Dave Cich , past-director of the Alice/Jim Wells County EDC, organized the effort. Olivarri & Associates, Inc., of Corpus Christi prepared the application. Senator Carlos Truan, and Representatives Ignacio Salinas and Judy Hawley also assisted the grant application planning effort.
The Alice Center of Coastal Bend College will administer the grant. Collaborative partners in the project also include: the Alice Public Library and City of Alice , Alice Independent School District , and Christus Spohn Hospital Alice. The partners will work with a Planning Committee composed of public officials, including County Judge Arnold Saenz and Alice Mayor Rito Silva, Jr., as well as representatives of various local organizations and businesses.
The State of Texas established the Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund from proceeds of taxes collected from mobile phone users. The funds are used for a variety of different types of grants to educational and health institutions. The Community Network grant program emphasizes building telecommunications resources for the general public and connecting the public to existing or new resources. In 1999-2000, the TIFB approved the first round of grants under this program. This is the second round. While area educational institutions and libraries have received funding through other TIFB programs, the Jim Wells Community Network is the first network funded by the agency in the Coastal Bend. Over 400 communities competed for this round of Community Network funding, and 61 communities were awarded planning grants.