Recommendations for additional needs assessment

While the Digital Marin project worked to collect needs from the largest number of Marin’s residents and businesses possible, more assessment is needed in several areas.

1. Identify and conduct additional needs assessment activities in the two under-served areas of Novato and identify community advocates to lead collaborative efforts to bridge the digital divide in these areas.
2. Conduct additional needs assessment efforts in West Marin beyond what was done by the Bolinas Stinson Union School District Connectivity Committee, especially when digital projects are proposed or planned for this area.
3. Conduct additional needs assessment efforts of students across Marin, especially when digital projects are proposed or planned for them.
4. Conduct additional needs assessment of the Business Community’s digital needs as part of the development of a Marin County Economic Strategy.
5. Conduct needs assessment of actual recipients of Health and CBO services, especially when digital projects are proposed or planned for them.
6. Conduct additional needs assessment of non-profits/CBO’s digital needs, especially when projects are proposed or planned for this sector.
7. Obtain detailed demographic data especially for projects that continue or project proposals that emerge as a result of Digital Marin’s needs assessment or Strategic Plan.
8. Conduct additional needs assessment of the older adult and persons with disabilities communities to better define and recommend solutions to address their specific needs and ensure that all digital projects and initiatives include addressing their needs.
9. Obtain more information about consumer internet prices and speeds by conducting a year-long speed test coupled with an evaluation of individual service provider invoices voluntarily provided by consumers.
10. Conduct additional assessment activities to identify ways to offset the cost of constructing an open access public sector broadband network including analysis of current spending and performance metrics (number of circuits and speed) for government entities, schools, anchor institutions, and other related publicly-funded entities to identify spending that could be reduced or diverted.
11. Complete the assessment regarding the ability to use the strands of dark fiber in the SMART easement allocated to the County and the cities through which it passes in the License Agreement between SMART and Sonic.