City of Hermantown announces broadband task force members

By Joe Wicklund

The City of Hermantown named six appointees for the newly-formed Broadband Task Force at the June 21, 2021, meeting of the City Council.Mary Ferguson, Gerald Wallace, Adhi Devireddy, Bill Berg, Thea Stauffenecker, and Steve Poggio were appointedto the task force, which will also include Gloria Nelson from the Hermantown City Council.

“More than ever we know the importance that broadband access has for people’s lives,” said John Mulder, Hermantown’s City Administrator. “I am excited and optimistic to have this talented group of people exploring ways we can expandbroadband access and improve broadband capabilities in Hermantown.”

Hermantown received positive news in February

when the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development announced that Mediacom

would receive a grant of more than $600,000 to expand broadband access to more than 250 homes

and six businesses.“Hermantown’s

City Council has placed improving broadband access

as one of their top priorities looking ahead,”said Mulder. “The formation of this task force, combined with the grant from earlier this year, shows

that there is action and momentum going forward.