A Mendocino RTC
The Redwood Technology Consortium just celebrated their 10th anniversary of technology and broadband advocacy on the North Coast. This group of gearheads are now the go-to guys and gals when it comes to policies, projects and education to increase our productivity and quality of life in rural Northern California.
One of the latest projects with which the RTC and other like-minded people are involved is something called Redwood Coast Connect, associated with Humboldt State University and furthering the work of Governor Schwarzenegger's Broadband Task Force.
Tina Nerat, a leader with RTC and owner of TeraTech, is one of the contractors with RCC who are trying to gather interest and participation in broadband advocacy in Trinity and Mendocino counties. In her travels and outreach, she was involved in a town hall meeting in Mendocino where 90 (!!) people showed up to learn about how they could improve their access to broadband. Some of these folks were also trying to form an RTC-like organization to articulate their needs and advocate for policy change.
Our own Rollin Richmond (HSU) and Peter Pennicamp (Humboldt Area Foundation) are the only two rural representatives on the state Task Force, so there is a high likelihood that whatever comes out of RCC will get a lot of play in the right places. Meanwhile, RTC will be working with our Mendocino friends to help them start their own RTC.
One of the joys of working with technology is how it cuts through a wide strata of economic social and political interests. Considering how we on the North Coast tends to turn most policy discussions into them-and-us fights, this is one of those refreshing opportunities to set our differences aside to work toward a common good.
These latest developments are all promising and worth our attention.
Chris Crawford
www.justiceserved.com