Meet Up and Mash-Up: New Models of Collaboration Rooted in Old School American Values

Rural-telecommunications advocates from across America gathered Tuesday night to discuss establishing a Rural Telecommunications Congress that would be a national forum to amplify the voice of rural America relating to telecommunications issues.

The meeting followed a full day of seminars at RuralTeleCon 99 and included 60 of the conferences 300 participants. The group worked to build on ideas generated that morning at a general session, which featured a plenary panel discussion to determine if there is a need for such a congress.

Panelists gave various examples of how rural issues are just now beginning to be recognized by policy-makers in Washington, D.C. Suggestions for the mission of the proposed congress ranged from sharing of best practices, focusing research to address rural-telecom issues, or to directly lobbying policy-makers on such issues.

All the panelists agreed that a national forum was needed. One audience member said, "Equal partnerships are needed. Most public policy in Washington is driven by business. Americas rural communities are less represented at the national level by both lawmakers and money."

At the meeting, organizers spent nearly two hours discussing issues relating to membership, funding, mission and special areas of focus. Four work groups were established to sustain the momentum that has been building since the RuralTeleCon began Sunday. Those work groups reflect the four tracks of this annual conference: technology, applications, community and policy.

An organizational committee was established at the end of the meeting to address membership and funding issues for the new organization. A steering committee will coordinate the efforts of these work groups in a virtual environment.

The goal of the group is to engage the participation of a variety of telecommunications advocates in a year-long planning effort that will culminate in the first meeting of the congress in conjunction with RuralTeleCon 2000. Participants may include rural grassroots practitioners, national proponents from federal agencies and private foundations, local and state elected officials and telecommunications-industry representatives.

Additional information on this topic can be found at RuralTeleCon?s Web site.

Cindy Weeldreyer, Lane County, Ore., Commissioner