by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
In October 2000, then City Council president Alberta Hipps traveled from Jacksonville to Austin, Texas on the annual Chamber of Commerce Leadership trip. In Austin, Hipps saw a city that very much resembled Jacksonville in many ways except for one major difference: Austin was wired for the future.
Sensing that Jacksonville needed to take a more proactive approach to fiber optics, the Internet and every other telecommunications medium, Hipps formed a Special Committee on Technology and Telecommunications. Over the last year, that committee has met regularly and come to one mutual conclusion — Jacksonville is not wired for the future, but the opportunity to correct that shortfall is in plain view.
At Thursday’s Jacksonville Economic Development Commission meeting, Hipps and General Counsel Rick Mullaney explained to the JEDC that the time was right for Jacksonville to lay the groundwork that would allow the city’s businesses and residents to comfortably adjust to the technological demands that living in the 21st Century will require.
“On the Chamber trip to Austin, many of us became excited about technology and what was happening in Austin,” said Hipps. “We saw how they were able to meld a high quality of life with technology.”
Last month, Mayor John Delaney, City Council president Matt Carlucci, Hipps and Mullaney announced a joint resolution that would create a comprehensive Telecommunications Master Plan for the city and a task force that would be charged with developing that plan. The timing for such a plan and its implementation couldn’t be better.
Thanks to the Better Jacksonville Plan, there is $1.5 billion worth of infrastructure and road resurfacing planned for the next 30 years. That roadwork is a golden opportunity for the placement of a telecommunications infrastructure network.
“Right now, we are in a good position because of the Better Jacksonville Plan. Since we are doing $1.5 billion worth of work, we can also install the dry conduit for fiber optic cable for later,” said Mullaney, adding that the resolution in front of City Council asks that serious consideration be given to approving and implementing the master plan. “We want to assess where we are and where we’re going and what we need.”
Mullaney pointed to Tacoma, Wash. as an example Jacksonville should follow. About four years ago, Tacoma civic leaders realized they were lagging technologically. They opted to make the capital investment and wired the whole city.
“It proved to be a magnet for high-tech companies,” said Mullaney, stressing the importance of being adequately wired for the future, especially considering today’s business climate. “Telecommunications infrastructure is the fundamental infrastructure of the 21st Century. It’s fundamental to government because we are one of the biggest users. I would suggest that communities understand and prepare to have significant advances in the future. High-tech infrastructure is fundamental to being competitive.”
If the resolution is approved, several major uncertainties loom. Who will pay for the equipment and installation? Who will do the work? Who will own the telecommunications infrastructure? And, how much of Jacksonville’s 840,000 square miles will be covered?
Mullaney said there are basically three options for both the installation and ownership issues and both are covered in the resolution. The City may choose to allow a private company to handle everything, they may choose to do it themselves or they may go with a private-public partnership. The resolution also calls for the possible creation of a separate municipal entity to handle the work.
If other cities are any indication, don’t be surprised if JEA ends up doing a majority, if not all, of the work. Mullaney said installing a comprehensive telecommunications network would be a very expensive venture, but one JEA could handle both financially and from a construction standpoint. JEA, because of its high bond rating, could easily take out low interest bonds to fund the project. And, because they are burying utilities as Better Jacksonville roadwork unfolds, they are already on site and could take on the added work without much extra cost or time.
“It will take a substantial financial investment, but it will be worth it. But, we’re not talking billions, like Better Jacksonville,” said Mullaney, adding that JEA is certainly a viable option. “Municipally-owned networks would allow for multiple cable providers. The trend nationally is for public utilities to build out the infrastructure because they have the ability to do so. Nationwide, there are over 300 public utilities either planning on or doing such a network. Communities that do not [get wired] will be at a competitive disadvantage.
“JEA is the largest utility in Florida and the eighth biggest nationally. And, one of the best run. Because of that, we truly have the opportunity to become the most wired city in the country.”
Mullaney said the sooner Council approves the master plan the better. Its complexity dictates that the process will be time-consuming anyway, so having the go ahead from Council becomes paramount to the plan’s implementation.
Once the installation process begins, the single biggest decision will be where to stop. A great deal of consolidated Jacksonville is undeveloped, but certainly won’t stay that way forever. Mullaney said he used to believe that development stopped where sewer lines stopped. He now believes that development stops where fiber optic lines stop. Hence, running dry conduits into the middle of nowhere may the absolute best way to prepare for the future and show fiscal responsibility.
“It also helps point out the fact that this would be the biggest undertaking in the country,” said Mullaney. “We are the largest geographic municipality ever created although we may not be the largest in concept.”