By Jean Braithwaite
tribune correspondent

KEYSER — The Mineral County Development Authority is presently conducting a broadband survey which Communications Committee chairperson Annette Paxton says is vital in order to be able to secure funding to bring the modern technology to all areas in Mineral County.
Development Authority Executive Director Mona Ridder said the surveys address specific questions which will help the authority determine the needs of the county in regard to Internet access.
“If you live or work in Mineral County and cannot get broadband access or what you have is inadequate for your business and lifestyle, the Mineral County Development Authority needs to know,” she said.
“Can you only get dial up Internet, is broadband available to you, is it affordable, does it meet your business or residential needs … these are all questions we need for county residents provide us with answers.”
According to Paxton, the survey is a two-page questionnaire, with one page for businesses and the other for residential citizens.
With a mid-August deadline for completion of at least 500 surveys, Paxton will set up locations in county communities “to make citizens aware of the survey.”
She mentioned the survey could be available at local libraries, area businesses, the Mineral County Courthouse, civic organizations, and the offices of the Mineral Daily News-Tribune.
Members of the Development Authority will also be at the Mineral County Fair next week with a booth where people can  fill out the surveys.
“It only takes a couple of minutes to do one and when we get them all together we expect to have a pretty good picture of what people want,” she said.
The study is also available online at  http://www.MineralBroadband.com.
The survey is being funded through a cooperative effort of state and county agencies.
“The authority has received an Appalachian Regional Commission grant, matched by the Mineral County Commission, to study broadband needs of residents and businesses,” Ridder explained.
“That study is now underway, and is being conducted by Design Nine of Blacksburg, Va.”
“It is your chance to sound off about whether the service is available, affordable and offers what you need,” she said.
Paxton also said, “Another one of the things we are doing is encouraging as many people in the county as possible to attend the 4:30 p.m. Mineral County Commission meeting next Tuesday, when Andrew Cohill of Design Nine will make a presentation to the commissioners about the study and expanding service in the county.”
“We need to let the county commission and Design Nine know that people in the county really want more and better options,” said Rick Welch, a member of the committee.
Ridder pointed out that Design Nine was chosen because of their experience and expertise in establishing and expanding broadband in other rural areas. The company was responsible for developing a recognized network in and around Blacksburg and Virginia Tech.
“We have similar resources in Mineral County and there’s no reason we cannot implement a similar network that includes our university connections as well as others here,” she said. “What we have is really a kind of disconnect that I’m hoping the study will help us resolve.”
If anyone needs additional information or wants to complete a survey, they may contact Paxton at (304) 788-1967 or Ridder at (304) 788-2233.