Buena Vista, CO Hires HR Green for Broadband Feasibility Study

BUENA VISTA, CO — The town of Buena Vista, Colorado has selected HR Green, a provider of engineering, technical, and management solutions, to assist with the development of a broadband assessment and feasibility study. The study will provide an analysis of the town's current and future broadband needs and will propose alternatives that the town can undertake to address their needs now and in the future.

Unique to HR Green's approach is leadership by former municipal managers, David Zelenok, PE and John Merritt, PE, who have been directly responsible for conceptualizing, implementing, and constructing some of the largest municipal fiber deployments in Colorado.

Connecting Cities to the World
"We believe that we are on the front edge of a major wave," said Zelenok. "Communities across Colorado — and the nation — are trying to keep their cities connected to the world. We find the incumbent providers often simply aren't doing what they need to do, especially in smaller, rural communities. We're delighted to be helping our colleagues in Buena Vista explore ways to improve their broadband connections to the world and the 21st Century."

On April 5, 2016, Buena Vista voters supported the override of Colorado Senate Bill 05-152, the bill that prohibits local government from supporting, either directly or indirectly, advanced telecom services, thus authorizing the town to investigate alternatives for promoting advanced telecom services to its citizens.

Broadband as the Fourth Utility
Broadband will be a vital element of the town's economic vitality and is viewed as a "fourth utility" affecting nearly every function within the community. Where the streets, sewers and power provide the infrastructure necessary to connect communities physically, broadband provides the digital infrastructure necessary to connect communities virtually to the rest of the world. HR Green will put a particular emphasis on broadband strategies that will support economic development, education, public safety, healthcare, and overall quality of life.

This is the first broadband feasibility study for HR Green. The company is the primary firm on the contract and the selected team features three subconsultants: Lookout Point (feasibility), NewCom Communications (GIS/Outside Plant) and Blakely + Company (public involvement).