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AN ORDINANCE authorizing the county executive to execute and enter into an agreement for the purpose of creating a high-speed optical network around Lake Washington and requesting that the executive undertake one or more pilot projects to use the created network to expand access to high-speed broadband service within the unincorporated areas of King County that have been underserved by high-speed digital technology.

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STATEMENT OF FACTS:

1.  Under membership of the Community Connectivity Consortium, King County, various municipalities and public agencies are joining together to create a high-speed optical network, known as The Ring around Lake Washington.

2.  The Consortium will build a cost-effective fiber-optic network around Lake Washington, from Bothell in the North to City of Auburn in the South, providing connectivity and access to services for public, not-for-profit and governmental institutions who otherwise could not afford to build secure, resilient, high speed fiber-optic networks to support their essential operations.

3.  Participating agencies in the project agreement are the cities of Auburn, Bellevue, Kent, Kirkland, Federal Way and Renton, King County, Valley Communications Center and the University of Washington.  The University of Washington is acting as the lead agency/project manager.

4.  In some communities within King County, especially in the unincorporated areas, lack of access to high-speed, fiber-optic networks limits the ability of public, not-for-profit and governmental institutions to provide educational and economic opportunities to their constituents.  It is the expectation that the Ring around Lake Washington network will extend high-speed digital connectivity closer to some of those under-served communities, creating a potential for public, not-for-profit and governmental institutions in those communities to connect with the new network.  This will help serve the goals of the county's digital equity initiative.

                     BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY

                     SECTION 1.  The county executive is authorized to execute an agreement, substantially in the form of Attachment A to this ordinance, with the Community Connectivity Consortium and participating public agencies.

                     SECTION 2.  As part of the Digital Equity Initiative of King County Information Technology, and in partnership with appropriate community partners, the county executive is requested to undertake one or more pilot projects to use the Ring around Lake Washington fiber optic network to expand access to high-speed broadband service within the unincorporated areas of King County that have been underserved by high-speed digital technology.  The executive should prioritize economically disadvantaged communities, or communities facing other social or educational challenges, when selecting the pilot project areas and partners.  At least one pilot project should be identified not later than March 31, 2017, with a target date for operation not later than December 31, 2017.  The executive is requested to prepare a summary report for the proposed pilot project or projects outlining the objectives and the anticipated costs and benefits.  The report should be filed not later than March 31, 2017, in the form of a paper original and an electronic copy with the clerk of the council, who shall retain the original and provide an electronic copy to all councilmembers, the council chief of staff, the policy staff director and the lead staff for the transportation, economy and

environment committee, or its successor committee with jurisdiction over economic development issues.