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communities to help them accomplish library patrons. removing barriers for providers.
their plans. “We applied for the $50,000 Library staff also created plans to This policy met the requirements
grant and wanted to use part of that to provide WiFi hotspots available to be of TNECD’s Broadband Ready
install WiFi on the downtown square checked out from the library. Library Communities program designation in
in Waynesboro,” said Rena Purdy, guests can check out the hotspot for October of 2018. That status positions
executive director of the Wayne County two to three days on a first-come, local applicants to earn extra points on
Joint Economic and Community first-served basis. Later in 2018, library state broadband grant applications.
Development Board (JECDB). leaders in Clifton and Waynesboro JECDB and other community leaders
“We have a lot of areas in the county added similar WiFi hotspot check outs continue to build on the goals they set
that don’t get quality internet. By thanks to a grant from the TNECD in 2016. Knowing agriculture, tourism
installing WiFi on the downtown square, Digital Literacy Grant. and forestry are the economic drivers
it would allow citizens on or near the “The availability of these hotspots and in the county, they’ve focused on
square to gain access,” she said. The WiFi on the downtown square really building the skills of their workforce
county also hired an IT director to assist came into focus during the pandemic in those areas. Wayne County JECDB
with installation, system maintenance when schools closed and students were members and partners including the
and service. Over the past two years, sent home,” Purdy said. “We saw a lot of Tennessee Department of Agriculture
anywhere from 800 to 1,100 Internet usage at the libraries and on the square and Forestry, the Tennessee Forestry
Protocol (IP) addresses logged on outside the library.” Association, Wayne County Technology
through Waynesboro Square’s public Broadband Ready Communities Center, the Tennessee College of
WiFi each month. Applied Technology campuses in
In August 2018, county leaders created
Improving Access to Quality Internet the Wayne County Broadband Access Hohenwald and Crump, UT Extension
Two years after WiFi was installed on Task Force to include representatives and the Tennessee Higher Education
the public square, the JECDB continued from economic development, utility Commission and others are now
to make it a priority to improve the companies, local businesses as well as collaborating on developing the
county’s access to quality internet by current and potential internet providers. county’s first Agricultural Learning
Center.
helping the smaller cities of Collinwood This committee worked with the county
and Clifton. The UT Institute of commission to pass a Broadband Ready “This all rolls back to that 2016
Agriculture (UTIA) assisted Collinwood Community resolution to put in place planning session,” Purdy said. “We went
Public Library leaders in securing grants a new policy that supports broadband from brainstorming to thinking ‘look
to provide WiFi access and training for expansion in their community by how far we’ve come in four years.’”

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