Stakeholders Meet on 'Wireless Washtenaw'
More than 100 interested people attended the first “Wireless Washtenaw” Executive Stakeholder Meeting on Monday, March 28th at the Michigan Information Technology Center in Ann Arbor. Wireless Washtenaw is a collaborative initiative to create “wireless high speed Internet access for Washtenaw County equally available in urban, suburban and rural settings in 2007.”
The meeting, presented by the Ann Arbor IT Zone, Washtenaw County, City of Ann Arbor, University of 
Michigan, the Michigan Township Association and the Washtenaw Development Council, featured Dianah Neff, CIO for the city of Philadelphia. Neff spoke on that city’s ‘Wireless Philadelphia’ project, offering comparisons – and lessons learned.
Attendees heard from three other panel members at the morning meeting – Washtenaw County Administrator Robert E Guenzel, Richard Sheridan, founding partner of Menlo Innovations of Ann Arbor and David Behen, Washtenaw County Director of Information Technology.
Behen has played a major role in the Wireless Washtenaw initiative, presenting the concept and vision to the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners in January of this year. “The goal of this meeting was to draw in executive level interest and understanding of what we’re trying to make happen in Washtenaw County,” said Behen.
“There's definitely a high level of interest,” said County Administrator Guenzel. “You could tell by the number of people who attended, but even more so from the number of questions and ideas advanced at the meeting. It’s an exciting beginning,” he added.
For more information, visit the Wireless Washtenaw web site or you can e-mail questions to wirelessinfo@ewashtenaw.org.
