SHERBURNE
–
The
Village
of
Sherburne,
in
tandem
with
the
townships
of
Sherburne
and
Columbus,
is
in
the
midst
of
a
years-long
endeavor
to
broaden
its
municipal
internet
footprint
across
northeastern
Chenango
County.
Sherburne
Connect,
a
subsidiary
of
Sherburne
Electric,
is
undertaking
efforts
to
expand
its
optic
fiber
to
unserved
areas
of
the
Sherburne
township,
as
well
as
the
entirety
of
the
neighboring
Town
of
Columbus.
The
move
will
give
residents
and
businesses
in
the
two
townships
further
access
to
high
speed
internet
and
generate
more
competition
among
private
internet
service
providers.
According
to
Sherburne
Mayor
Bill
Acee,
the
project
will
offer
lower
internet
payments
while
also
giving
Sherburne
and
Columbus
a
leg-up
in
retaining
and
attracting
new
businesses.
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“Once
you
have
good
internet,
you
can
almost
get
anything
you
want
now,”
said
Acee.
“The
world
is
changing
fast
with
AI.
Things
will
be
very
internet
driven.”
Sherburne
Connect
already
offers
a
municipal
open-access
internet
line
in
areas
covered
by
Sherburne
Electric.
It’s
the
only
one
of
its
kind
this
side
of
the
Rocky
Mountains.
Roughly
800
subscribers
pay
the
village
a
$30
monthly
use
fee
and,
since
the
line
is
unrestricted,
they’re
able
to
choose
their
own
internet
service
provider
–
typically
whichever
company
utilizes
Sherburne
lines
and
offers
the
best
deal
at
the
lowest
rate.
Acee
said
the
expansion
project
will
allow
the
same
municipal
internet
services
to
hundreds
more
households
in
Columbus
and
Sherburne
in
the
coming
year.