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STAFF REPORT To: Mayor and Councilmembers Report No.: City Manager From: Kim Moore -Sykes, Assistant City Manager Date: April 25, 2006 Subject: Wireless Internet Connectivity Feasibility Study Requested Action: Council Discussion of the issues presented and next steps. Background: At a Council worksession on June 2, 2005 City Staff presented information to the City Council on wireless Internet (Wi Fi). Council had indicated an interest in this technology because several areas in the community are not currently being serviced with Broadband Internet, including one City department. As a result of the information presented at this worksession, the City Council asked that Cheryl Johnson and Tom Asp, representatives then from Virchow/Krause be invited to do a presentation before the City Council. At a worksession in August, Ms. Johnson and Mr. Asp provided information about wireless systems and discussed specific connectivity issues that the City would need to consider before installing a Wi Fi system. Staff presented an update to the wireless Internet at the November 1St worskession and was directed to contact Ms. Johnsonand Mr. Asp to invite them to submit a formal RFP for conducting a feasibility study. On November 16, 2005 Staff received an updated proposal of total fees and expenses at $14,500 for the Scope of Services as itemized in the proposal, with a completion date of March 2006. Ms. Johnson did present Staff with a draft of the feasibility study on March 24th and asked for comments, revisions and corrections by March 29th. Staff received the final draft of the feasibility report on April 7th, in preparation for presentation to City Council on April 25, 2006. Some of the issues discussed in the WiFi report include a demonstrated interest in affordable high- speed wireless connectivity to the Internet, predominantly by residents and small businesses in the community. The public service benefits to the community are also extremely noteworthy:. :. wireless could be made available to crews and squads working in the community; provide video security to monitor city parks, schools, municipal liquor stores, wells and other city facilities; and reduce reliance on and the expense of cell phones with VoIP applications. In doing a comparative study of the metro area, information suggests that the City of St. Anthony has similar demographics and vision regarding wireless as does the City of St. Louis Park. Because installing a stand-alone wireless system will be costly and the return on the investment is long term, more benefit is derived through the efficiencies and effectiveness it creates than the revenue it will produce. From a fiscal prospective, financial efficiencies are gained by joining with other similarly situated cities, either geographically and/or philosophically, in providing connectivity to the Internet for the residents and business community through a larger system. Attachments: • Executive Summary of Wireless Connectivity Feasibility Study/ Report 042506 Council Stf Rpt WiFi Feasibility Study.doc 52