WiFi Initiative

For more than four years, Ken has been working on the development of a citywide wireless network that would improve City operations and communications, cutting cost and improving services significantly, all while extending the opportunity for convenient Internet access to Newton residents and businesses throughout the City.

After Mayor Cohen rejected the first version of Ken's WiFi plan, Ken went back to the drawing board to come up with something that the current Administration would find acceptable. Ken negotiated with Galaxy Internet Services to draft a proposal that would create a citywide wireless network at no cost to the City.

Initially, the Mayor failed to express interest in this proposal, but after Ken wrote an opinion column in the Newton TAB encouraging interested Newton residents to contact the Mayor in support of the initiative, he agreed to support it.

There will be a public hearing on legislation to go alead with the pilot program on February 25 before the Zoning & Planning Committee of the Board of Aldermen. If all goes well, the City will implement WiFi in two pilot neighborhoods in Spring, 2008.