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RESOLUTION NO. 2021- 077 <br />A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY <br />COMMISSIONERS OF INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, <br />SUPPORTING THE FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF <br />COUNTIES' ACCESS 67 INITIATIVE FOR AFFORDABLE <br />AND RELIABLE HIGH-SPEED INTERNET THROUGHOUT <br />FLORIDA. <br />WHEREAS, affordable and reliable, high-speed internet access is essential for Floridians <br />to be prosperous, compete in a global economy, and achieve a high quality of life; and <br />WHEREAS, affordable and reliable, high-speed internet access is as fundamental as <br />acquiring electricity in the first half of the 20th century; and <br />WHEREAS, the lack of broadband internet access impacts small, medium, and large <br />counties, both rural and urban; and <br />WHEREAS, the absence of high-speed internet hinders: <br />• Equitable educational opportunities for school children and workforce <br />development; <br />Access to telemedicine to improve health outcomes without demanding <br />travel and transportation needs; <br />• Rapid communication between the public and law enforcement agencies; <br />• Economic competitiveness limiting business investment, job growth, and <br />career opportunities; <br />WHEREAS, high-speed Internet can be cost prohibitive for many Floridians further <br />accelerating the Digital Divide; and <br />WHEREAS, affordable internet access includes a digital equity component focused on <br />identifying groups disproportionately impacted by the Digital Divide that contribute to national and <br />local disparities; and <br />WHEREAS, identifying community needs, assets, and barriers is necessary to meet the <br />goal of universal access to high-speed Internet; and <br />WHEREAS, local governments, states, and the federal government must leverage <br />resources to deliver cost-effective broadband solutions which provide a return on investment <br />to both the public and private interest; and <br />WHEREAS, county officials play a crucial role as policymakers, funders, data <br />aggregators, conveners, and partners in pursuing sustainable solutions to broadband access, <br />affordability, and reliability; and, <br />WHEREAS, the Florida Association of Counties ACCESS 67 initiative seeks to implement <br />a comprehensive approach to empowering counties to develop solutions to address the impacts <br />of the lack of ACCESS to critical telecommunication and information technology resources in <br />Florida communities; and <br />