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Partners in the Tompkins and Cayuga County last-mile broadband coverage project, undertaken by provider Clarity Connect, Inc., have achieved State recognition for outstanding achievement, the award presented June 5 at a ceremony in Albany.

Clarity Connect, Tompkins County, and Cayuga County are recipients of a New York State Broadband Champion Award, recognizing “those who have demonstrated outstanding achievements within the broadband industry.”  The project was awarded as “The Most Collaborative Broadband Project/Program,” recognizing “an outstanding collaboration of two or more entities (non-profit, businesses, local government agencies) that support broadband service expansion and/or adoption in New York State.”

The award was presented at the State’s Second Annual Broadband Summit.  Accepting the award were Clarity Connect’s Chuck Bartosch; Tompkins County Legislator Dave McKenna, current chair of the County’s Broadband Subcommittee; and Pat Pryor, who served as Chair of the County Legislature’s Special Committee on Broadband from 2010-2013, during the time when the project was being developed.

“This project is an example of what can be accomplished when public and private entities are focused together on solving a problem in our community,” Mr. Bartosch said.  “It would not have happened without our joint commitment."

“It is truly an honor to be recognized by New York State for the three-and-a-half-year collaborative effort that resulted in a more than $2 million award to a public/private partnership among Clarity Connect, Inc., Tompkins County and Cayuga County,” said Ms. Pryor, who continues to serve as vice-chair of the County Broadband Subcommittee.  “The result of that team effort will bring high quality, robust broadband Internet service to 95% or better of two counties.

“The group that formed the partnership and produced such outstanding work included many community volunteers who took time from their professional lives to give back to the community through their work on the Tompkins County Special Committee on Broadband,” Pryor continued.  “Our private partner, Clarity Connect, Inc., has consistently gone the extra mile to ensure accessibility and encourage adoption of the service.  It has been a rare privilege to work with such outstanding members of the community on a project that will, I believe, have a very broad impact on our rural communities and on the lives of our rural residents.”

Current Broadband chair McKenna echoed his appreciation of the State recognition and the ongoing commitment by all involved to work together to make this important project reality.  And he expressed high hopes that committed State financial support will be forthcoming soon so that the technical build-out can begin.

Project details are summarized on the Tompkins County website.

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