Botetourt’s new Broadband Advisory Commission members spent their first meeting getting to know each other, then went into their first closed session to discuss how they might “invest” the $50,000 that’s set aside in the county budget in the coming fiscal year to facilitate getting broadband internet service extended throughout the county.

While members would not comment on the particulars of that investment, Commission Chairman and Board of Supervisors member Mac Scothorn was enthusiastic about the prospects of moving forward with ideas that will provide healthy competition so that all individuals in the county have an opportunity to connect to what he called “affordable” high speed internet.

The commission members include Walter Grigg, Michelle Crook, Darrell Hix, Brandon Evans, Ken McFadyen, Frank Smith, Gary Larrowe and Scothorn. Board of Supervisors Chair Jack Leffel also attended the meeting as did Arleen Boyd, who is likely to be appointed to the commission because of her experience in the telecom industry.

Smith is with the Roanoke Valley Broadband Authority. Other members either have backgrounds in the industry or are citizens who have experienced personal and business challenges with the speed and capabilities of internet and cell phone service in the county.

The commission is charged with making annual recommendations to the Board of Supervisors that includes goals, strategies and action the board can take to facilitate bringing broadband to the greater part of the community.

The commission members agreed with County Administrator Gary Larrowe and County Economic Development Director Ken MacFadyen that appropriate internet service is crucial to the county’s economic vitality.

“A community without broadband is a dying community,” Larrowe told the commission. “This is absolutely a utility, as well.”

MacFadyen got “amens” from the commission members when he told them that broadband “is not an amenity, it’s a necessity in today’s economy.”

Members of the commission shared their experiences with trying to have high speed internet service for their businesses and homes; and about what Crook called “the black holes” in cell service in the county. That, along with the expense of having adequate internet service for a family with multiple users.

Jennifer Eddy of Eddy Communications gave a brief overview of the results of a broadband telecommunications survey her firm did for the county. Residents and business were surveyed earlier this year. She pointed out that the survey shows the idea of having the county involved in developing broadband initiatives is supported wholeheartedly by county residents and businesses.

The Broadband Advisory Commission will meet again May 25 in Fincastle with plans for a county broadband “summit” in the fall.