Piedmont council close to inking contract to resume citywide internet service

The Piedmont City Council and a Wetumpka-based technology company are nearing completition of an agreement that’s expected to restore free wireless Internet service to Piedmont public school students.  The council received a copy of a contract tuesday that’s similar to an existing contract between the company, Information Transport Solutions, and the city. The council is expected to vote on the revised contract at its next meeting, May 6.  If approved, the revised contract will send $6,250 per month from the company to the schools, providing students with citywide Internet access. Superintendent Matt Akin has said the citywide Internet service is an essential component of the system’s technology plan. Another $250 will be paid by the company to the city for using the city’s cables.  The new contract is for three years instead of 10.  The new contract includes provisions that state the company should pay the city more than $3,000 monthly to use Piedmont's electricity, and that the company should pay $4,225 a year to use the city's electrical poles. The existing contract also states that the city should be paid a pole and energy fee, but the city failed to bill the company for those fees for the first two years of the contract. Once the error was realized, the company paid Piedmont $7,000 to make up for the lost revenue.