A special election will be held on Tues., Sept. 15, in Jefferson where voters will have the opportunity to weigh in on a new broadband Internet service for residents of the town. The single question on the ballot is concerned with authorizing the selectmen to grant a lease to MidCoast Internet Solutions to erect a tower on town owned land on Haskell Hill overlooking the town.
MidCoast will rent space on this land for their tower, which will be the backbone of a wireless broadband Internet network that will reach large parts of town not covered by cable provided Internet service.
Earlier this summer, the ConnectME Authority awarded a grant to the Town of Jefferson and MidCoast Internet Solutions for the purpose of providing high-speed Internet service to areas currently unserved or underserved by other Internet providers. The state run program completed its third round of grant awards this summer. There is no cost to the town since the combination of the grant and private funding by MidCoast fully funds the project.
If the question on the ballot is approved, MidCoast is prepared to start construction of the tower and will be able to begin providing service to customers this fall. Voting will take place at the firehouse from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.