High-fiber. High-speed. (WMP&I and Google images)

After appearances at several meetings, the GoNetSpeed requests are out the door. On Monday, the Springfield City Council approved 17 applications GoNetSpeed, an internet service provider, had filed for work that would affect city streets throughout the city. Fearing the company would only wire wealthier areas, the Council had delayed approval at least twice.

That changed at this past meeting. Many of the councilors who had expressed the most concerns joined their colleagues to approve the applications. GoNetSpeed furnished technical information and improved its commitments to the city. This was not enough for a couple councilors, but the items passed by a wide margin, nonetheless.

Councilors Malo Brown, Zaida Govan, Maria Perez and Brian Santaniello participated in the meeting remotely.

On some level, the approval of GoNetSpeed’s applications occurred quickly. By contrast, in two previous meetings, councilors held long debates on the the items, before voting to put off a decision. There was also additional review at committee meetings. On Monday, councilors appeared thrilled with how far GoNetSpeed had moved

At-large Councilor Jose Delgado, who helms a working group on digital equity in the city, emphasized that progress.

“We have gone back and forth over the last three meetings,” he said. “I didn’t get everything that I want, but in government you got to negotiate. You got to come to a middle ground. And I want to credit GoNetSpeed for coming to the table and speaking to us because they didn’t have to.”

He added that GoNetSpeed’s original investment of $50 million had doubled and that more neighborhoods would be wired.

Whitfield praised the “Go Team” approach she and her colleagues took with GoNetSpeed. (still via YouTube/Focus Springfield)

At-large Councilor Tracye Whitfield echoed Delgado’s sentiments, but also recognized her colleagues’ contributions to the progress. She noted that councilors brought different requests or inquiries for GoNetSpeed on which their votes would hinge.

For example, she noted Council President Michael Fenton’s observations about the equipment—or rather the lack of specifications for it. GoNetSpeed responded with more detailed plans.

“I want to credit this whole Council because at several meetings we all said something that we wanted to see from GoNet and a lot of it, like Councilor Delgado was saying, we are getting, and this is us working together pushing the issue.”

That sentiment was not universal. Ward 6 Councilor Victor Davila emphasized that the commitments GoNetSpeed was making were almost entirely verbal. He summed up his concerns in a question to Public Works czar Chris Cignoli, who was speaking on the requests Monday night.

“How in the name of God are we going to just accept a verbal commitment in a 50 million plus investment?” Davila inquired.

Cignoli’s answer, however, was on point. The city has no regulatory authority over internet service providers, in contrast to its right to oversee cable franchises like the one Comcast has in Springfield. The assistant city solicitor assigned to the Council, Ken Shea, concurred and added that the Council routinely approves other utility work without conditions. It may not be legally practical to do that just for GoNetSpeed.

At-large Councilor Sean Curran did push back a bit on Cignoli and Shea’s position. He suggested a memorandum of understanding was possible as it would not create legally enforceable promises. Functionally, that may not be much better than GoNetSpeed’s word, though.

Debate went on for a little bit, but the Council eventually called the question. Final approval was 11-2 with only Councilors Brown and Davila in dissent.

As it happened, these were not the only utility requests before the body on Monday. The Council approved street applications from Eversource for poles and conduits and a pair of requests from Comcast and a communications company.

The Council also approved an honorary street sign for Northampton Avenue. A secondary sign for Dorothy Davis will go up. The Council also greenlighted six stop signs and a crosswalk near the old Fifth Alarm, which is being converted into housing.

The Council accepted a pair of donations for the Elder Affairs Department. It approved a transfer of land in Pine Point to Lilly Enterprises, a landscaping company. The business will be using it to store equipment and supplies. Additional rezoning will be necessary.

Councilors continued two ordinances regulating cannabis. The continuance request came from the Law Department, which is seeking further review. A resolution urging the legislature to amend laws around drug use in public places was also sent back to committee.

The dissenters on the GoNetSpeed applications do have a point. There is no way to force the company to deliver on its promises. Nor, however, is there a way to make them ink a contract to that effect.

Councilor Brown likened it to MGM backing out of building the tower, although that was in writing. However reluctantly, the Council approved the change to a low-rise in 2016. Perhaps they did so under duress and, certainly, it was not what voters approved in 2013.

(WMP&I)

Still, the proponents happened upon an important theme in this episode. When the Council focuses, unites and is practical, it has considerate strength. While they may have all had different asks, as Councilor Whitfield noted, the combined pressure of many councilors impelled GoNetSpeed, who could go to court or take other measures, to offer something more. It promised, if verbally, a lot.

It is reassuring to see the Council be strong again—as it had been a time not so long ago.