State Rep. Gretchen Driskell (D-Saline) and Melanie Bell, network administrator for the Chelsea District Library, were recipients of 2014 Broadband Hero Awards from Connect Michigan.
The awards were presented at the annual Michigan Broadband Conference in Lansing.
Bell and Driskell helped organize the Washtenaw County Broadband Committee in 2013 to improve the access, adoption and use of broadband in rural areas of the county.
Partnering with Connect Michigan through its Community Enabled Broadband program, the group has identified specific areas in need of new or improved service, shared this information with local providers to pursue solutions, and are now exploring opportunities for local stakeholders to combine their resources to enhance services to residents and local businesses.
“Access to high-speed internet should be a fundamental piece of our state infrastructure as broadband is vital to public education, economic development, and improves quality of life. I’m honored to receive this award and will continue to work toward upgrading access in my district,” Driskell said in a press release.
Connect Michigan is a nonprofit that works with the Michigan Public Service Commission to improve infrastructure and access to broadband service across the state.
