AGENDA #15a(2)

From:               Edith M. Wiggins, Mayor Pro Tem

                        Sally Greene, Council Member

Subject:           Petition to Consider Establishing Wireless Internet Access in the Northside and Pine Knolls Neighborhoods and Program for Use of Old Computers

Date:               June 15, 2005

The Council received the attached proposal from Mr. David McCarty, a former student at the University of North Carolina who was a volunteer in the Northside neighborhood.  In essence, Mr. McCarty suggests that the Council initiate a program that would create a wireless Internet access environment in the Northside neighborhood and make old computers available for use by persons who otherwise would not have access to computers and the Internet.  We believe this idea merits further consideration and could be of value in both the Northside and Pine Knolls neighborhoods.

We request that the Council refer the proposal to the Manager for a follow-up report and options for consideration by the Council.

From: David McCarty [mailto:[email protected]]

Sent: Tuesday, May 24, 2005 3:10 PM

To: Town Council

Subject: Closing the Education Gap in Northside Neighborhood

Dear Mayor and Members of the Town Council,

I just recently graduated from UNC, and as I leave Chapel Hill to pursue a career there is one important idea I wish to share with you. During my time in college, I spent a decent amount of time in the Northside neighborhood of Chapel Hill being a big buddy and tutoring. While there, I saw the difference in achievement level of kids in that neighborhood compared to kids from more affluent communities, and I think that it is the town's responsibility to do everything it can to close this gap.  So here is the idea i had: Many communities today are toying with the idea of publicly-run wireless Internet networks.  I have heard more than one suggestion to make our own Franklin Street a wireless area and I know that Carrboro the benefits associated with such projects, I feel that a higher priority exists.  Most of the people that would use wireless on Franklin Street already have Internet access elsewhere.  So, while such a service would be useful, it would not be essential.  We need to start by making our low income neighborhoods wireless.  For Chapel Hill, this means Northside neighborhood.  This would be a free service for all members of this neighborhood that would allow them to engage in technology in the same way more affluent citizens already do.  The problem is that most of these citizens do not have computers or wireless cards.  Well, that is why a program needs to be set up in connection with the University to have old computers donated, cleaned, up graded and distributed to people in the neighborhood.  Computers could be given to families through the public school system based on merit achievement.  Anyway, this is just an idea, but I think it is one that would do a great deal for that neighborhood and for the larger community as a whole.

Thanks for taking the time to read this,

David McCarty

UNC Class of 2005