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Layton gets $4.8M of UTOPIA's stimulus funds
LAYTON, Aug 28, 2010 (Standard-Examiner - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --
Of the $16.1 million UTOPIA will receive in federal stimulus money, $4.8 million will go to Layton, which will use a portion of it to prep the East Gate Business Research Park for the high-speed Internet service.
During a strategic planning meeting, City Manager Alex Jensen shared with the city council what portion of the federal funds going to the Utah Telecommunication Open Infrastructure Agency belongs to Layton.
"A tad over 30 percent," or just more than $4.8 million, based on the investment the city has made into the UTOPIA service infrastructure, Jensen said.
UTOPIA was notified last week it will receive funds from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. The grant is anticipated to create more than 200 jobs, complete an additional 20 percent of the needed network infrastructure and provide growth in eight of UTOPIA's 16 cities.
"This is basically building the trunk system -- the central nervous system," Jensen said of what the dollars must be spent on.
Layton is one of 11 cities making pledges through sales tax revenue bonds to develop the fiber-optic network service.
Despite that, the service is available to businesses and homes in only a small portion of the city.
UTOPIA has not done a tremendous amount of design work in Layton, Jensen said.
However, because of the federal windfall, areas in the city that will be slated for the service are those "anchortype buildings" and the East Gate development, property east of Hill Air Force Base and north of State Road 193 where the city is attempting to develop an industrial complex that will provide the family-sustaining jobs Davis County needs, he said.
Jensen said he will do all he can to hasten construction of the network in Layton, but would like feedback from council members as to where they want the network installed.
Councilman Michael Bouwhuis said the service needs to be made available to East Gate because it will be "a selling point for businesses."
Another area of the city where the network may be needed is near Davis Hospital and Medical Center on Antelope Drive, he said.
Economic specialist Ben Hart said the grant money provides Layton an opportunity to get a foothold in bringing the fiber-optic network to the city's business research park, in turn giving Layton an edge over competitors when it comes to attracting business.
Jensen agreed, saying, "This is no small thing."
He said he believes the business research park will have as much impact on the community as Layton Hills Mall.
The UTOPIA grant was awarded to begin connecting nearly 400 schools, libraries, medical and health care providers, public safety entities, community college locations, government offices and other important community institutions in sections of Centerville, Layton, Perry, Payson, Midvale, Murray, Orem and West Valley City, officials said.
Those cities will receive services because they joined the stimulus fund application process this spring, said UTOPIA spokeswoman Elizabeth Vincent.
The cities will have to have a total of $7.2 million in matching funds to receive the federal grant, she said.
Layton's portion of that amount, based on its meeting the 70/30 percent grant match, is about $2.3 million, officials said.
Mayor Steve Curtis said the matching amount to be provided by the city could decrease based on the participation of the other eight municipalities.
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