We’ve made no secret of our belief that getting more millennials and young professionals to put down roots in Grand Junction is a key to a brighter economic future.

Without an expansive broadband network, however, that’s difficult to do. The private sector would eventually build a high-speed network, but it moves at the speed of market demand, which could put the goal of ubiquitous broadband service years away.

Government intervention accelerates the curve, but it also exposes taxpayers to some risks that could be averted by waiting for a private solution to emerge.

We’ve encouraged the city to facilitate broadband expansion. The city has contracted with a consultant to help develop a broadband plan and make recommendations to staff and council members. A request for proposals led to the selection of a vendor partner, SiFi/Nokia.

Read more at The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel.