At least the mayor of Provo realizes the benefits of the network and is looking for ways to continue its existence should Veracity default.
Provo Mayor John Curtis said he is following the Boy Scout motto to be prepared when it comes to the future of the city’s fiber optic network.
The Municipal Council made another move towards the mayor’s working contingency plan, or Plan B, at Tuesday’s Council meeting. The council voted to appropriate $50,000 from the city’s fund balance to hire two consulting firms to help develop the plan.
For nearly a year city administrators have been discussing the need to have a plan B if the need should arise. It’s something they haven’t had since iProvo was sold.
“We are committed to preparation,” Mayor Curtis said. “This does not mean that Veracity hasn’t been fulfilling their contract. In fact they have made upgrades to the system.”
However he did say that a request for qualification has been put out for companies who might be able to take over the fiber optic network if needed.
“We have made a request for qualification last week,” said Wayne Parker, chief administrative officer. “We want to move expeditiously on the matter.”
According to Curtis, interested companies have 45 days to respond to the request.
“We want them to come tell us what they do and get pre-qualified,” he said. “We want to see what they can offer and we want to know they are qualified to be a serious contender.”
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