Groups unite to fix digital divide in NE W-S
Burke
I
Perry
i
BY TEVIN ST1NSON
THE CHRONICLE
Various local organiza
tions have partnered with'
AT&T to launch an initia
tive called NETT
(Neighborhood
Empowerment Through
Technology) that will
widen the access to tech
nology, and enhance the
digital literacy skills of res
idents in the northeast por
tion of the city.
Dining a ceremony
held at Carl Russell Sr.
Recreation Center on
Tuesday, July 28, Mayor
Pro Tempore Vivian Burke
read a proclamation offi
cially launching the initia
tive. After reading the dec
laration signed by Mayor
Allen Joines, who was
unable to attend the cere
mony, Burke said she was
ovetjoyed with the partner
ship that will bring low
cost home Internet to resi
dents in
need.
" I
am glad
that we
have
organi
zations
that are
willing
:o come
together, and get out in our
neighborhoods to make
sure we are all on the same
page," continued Burke.
"Access to the Internet and
basic computer skills are
required in today's socie
ty"
"I speak for the mayor
and the other elected offi
cials when I say we are
thankful for the organiza
tions we have in this city.
These various organiza
tions help us have the won
derful city we have here
today."
Organizations partner
ing with the city on NETT
include the Winston-Salem
Urban League, Winston
Salem State University
(WSSU), Forsyth
Technical Community
College (FTCC), Forsyth
County Public Library,
WinstonNet and the United
Way of Forsyth County.
"There are a lot of
organizations that came
together to make this possi
ble, but our goal is to speak
as one voice," said Urban
League CEO James Perry.
"It's going to take one
voice in order to make sure
the NETT project is
extremely effective and
serves this comihunity
well," he said. "This is a
wonderful great initiative.
We want to bridge the dig
ital divide in this commu
nity."
Perry, who was the
driving force behind the
part
ner
ship,
said he
was
excited
to see
the ini
tiative
finally
come to
life. He also mentioned the
importance of the United
Way, which will provide
the funding for the pro
gram. Nfc. IT is also includ
ed in the United Way's
Place Matters initiative.
Under the NETT pro
gram, AT&T will provide
its Access Program to qual
ifying neighborhoods in
northeast Winston-Salem.
According AT&T regional
director of external affairs,
Kathleen Evans, the pro
gram will offer broadband
Internet service for as low
as $5 a month for 3 mbps
(mega bites per second).
Evans noted that the
program also includes a
free Wi-Fi modem, and
activation and installation
fees will be waved as well.
She mentioned to qualify,
at least one member of the
household must be enrolled
in SNAP (Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance
Program).
"We believe we will be
a great asset to the NETT
Program," she said.
"AT&T truly appreciates
local officials and local
leaders who implement
ordinances that support
efforts, to provide services
to those in need."
"AT&T is proud to sup
port NETT," Evans said.
While improving
accessibility to the
Internet, the initiative will
also aim to educate the
community.,
Forsyth Technical
Community College along
with WinstonNet will offer
participants free computer
training courses. The first
100 people to finish the
course will receive a refur
bished laptop for only $25.
In addition, the Forsyth
County Public Library will
also provide free computer
courses and other training
programs.
Winston-Salem State
University and the
Winston-Salem Urban
League will be responsible
for tracking the progress of
the program.
For more information
on NETT or to enroll in the
program visit www.pro
jecmett.com.
County to consider lowering
Caterpillar incentive requirement
Plyler
Marshall
BY TODD LUCK
THE CHRONICLE
Along with a public hearing on county
bonds on Aug. 8, county commissioners
will consider other items, such as a reduc
tion in the amount of employees
Caterpillar needs to receive county incen
tives.
Among the many items on the com
missioners full agenda on Aug. 8 are pub
lic hearings on two items involving incen
tives for businesses. One is $118,000 to
entice furniture maker Beaufum to relo
cate to Forsyth County. The other is a
change to a 2011 agreement with
Caterpillar for $10.1 million in incentives
that lowers the jobs requirement.
The Caterpillar facility off Union
Cross Road makes rear axles for mining
trucks. A global downturn in mining has
caused the company to reduce its work
force globally. Locally, Caterpillar has
experienced a reduction from 341 employ
ees last year to 289 in January.
"The current workforce totals at the
Winston-Salem facility reflect alignment
with global demand in the mining indus
try," said Caterpillar Corporate Media
Manager Rachel Potts in an email state
ment.
The company told the county it is
unsure if it'll get below 1% jobs it needs
to have in order to not pay the incentives
back, but still wants to lower that require
ment to 50 jobs.
Caterpillar is also asking to add
Alabama-based Progress Rail, a
Caterpillar subsidiary that supplies rail
road and transit system parts and services,
to the deal to bolster the amount of jobs.
Caterpillar is also asking to extend the deal
from 10 years to IS, meaning the company
will be eligible to receive benefits longer
but the maximum amount it may receive
wouldn't go up.
County Commissioner Walter
Marshall said he supports Caterpillar's
request.
"This is the best option to save jobs,"
he said.
Marshall said that there are clawback
provisions that force the company to com
pletely pay the county back if it can't meet
the jcfcs requirement, like what happened
when Dell closed down its plant, but that
he had much rather see Caterpillar remain
a local employer. He said he was confident
the company would rebound and be able to
expand its workforce again.
County Commissioner Chair Dave
Plyler also said he had confidence in
Caterpillar, a global company with sales
and revenues of $47 billion in 2015.
"From my perspective, 1 don't want to
see Caterpillar leave our county because
what goes down does go up sooner or later,
and Caterpillar isn't the type of company
that promises one thing and does another,"
said Plyler.
The county is only part of the incentive
deal with Caterpillar, which also includes
The Millennium Fund, Forsyth County
Development Corporation and the City of
Winston-Salem, which gave the company
$13.35 million in incentives. It will need to
appeal to each of them to amend the deal.
The incentive deal the county is con
sidering for Beaufum, a global furniture
maker located in Advance, is $118,000
over a five-year period. In exchange, the
company would invest $6.8 million over a
one-year period in the county, create 15
new full-time or full-time equivalent jobs
and retain its current 33 positions.
Beaufum makes professional grade fur
nishings for commercial businesses and is
looking to relocate to a larger space. The
company is currently considering Forsyth,
Davie and other counties for its new loca
tion.
Marshall said that he is for offering
incentives to Beaufurn. He said incentives
are vital for the county to compete with
other municipalities to attract businesses
that create good jobs. Plyler said the deal
would be a "win-win situation" with a
nationally known company.
Even with its packed agenda, the
biggest items at the August 8 meeting will
be the county commissioners' votes on
whether to place three bonds on the
November ballot. The public will get to
comment before the vote. The bonds items
are a $350 million Winston-Salem/Forsyth
County Schools bond, a $65 million
Forsyth Technical Community College
bond and a $15 million Recreation and
Parks bond.
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