On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 ("The Recovery Act", also known as the "Stimulus Package" and also known as the "ARRA") into law. The essential goal of the Recovery Act is to provide a direct financial boost to help lift our Nation from the greatest economic crisis in our lifetimes and lay the foundation for future growth. Accordingly, the Recovery Act identifies five overall purposes:

1. to preserve and create jobs and promote economic recovery;
2. to assist those most impacted by the recession;
3. to provide investments needed to increase economic efficiency by spurring technological advances in science and health;
4. to invest in transportation, environmental protection, and other infrastructure that will provide long-term economic benefits;
5. to stabilize state and local government budgets

The Recovery Act further instructs the President and the heads of federal departments and agencies to manage and expend Recovery Act funds to achieve these five purposes, commencing expenditures and activities as quickly as possible consistent with prudent management.

Consistent with the purposes described above, the Recovery Act provides the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) of the Department of Agriculture and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) of the Department of Commerce with $7.2 billion, or roughly $2 million dollar for each rural county in the US, to expand access to broadband services in the United States. In so doing, it recognizes the growing importance of access to broadband services to economic development and to the quality of life of all Americans. Specifically, the Recovery Act tasks RUS, NTIA, and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) with leading the federal government’s efforts to begin the process of significantly expanding the reach and quality of broadband services.

Governmental agencies of all sizes within Carroll County can benefit from a county-wide wireless mesh network. From enhancing police, sheriff and fire/rescue operations to enabling school safety, distance learning and collaboration to connecting older and disabled citizens to vital services a wireless network makes the impossible possible and bridges the gaps between people. Municipal and county governmental agencies within Carroll County can participate in the following ways in the Carroll County Broadband Initiative and bring the benefits of wireless to Carroll County that other jurisdictions are enjoying:

1. Increase School Safety just like Seattle, Washington.
2. Classrooms of the Future just like Brookline, New Hampshire.
3. Improved Business Development just like Greene County, North Carolina.
4. Improved Public Safety just like Corpus Christi, Texas.
5. Road Traffic Monitoring and Management just like Greely, Colorado.
6. Lower Water Usage and Bigger Crop Yields just like South Georgia.
7. Better and Safer Emergency Response just like many counties around the US.
8. Municipal eGovernment and Digital Cities just like Bellwood, Illinois.
9. Video Serveillance and Digital Citations just like Santa Anna, California.
10. Energy Efficiency and Cost Savings just like Denton, Texas.

If you would like to see your wireless dreams come true and bring your department, agency or division into the 21st century with high speed wireless network access visit the Join/Help page for additional details.