Clay, Calhoun and Roane Broadband Committee met Thursday at Arnoldsburg Elementary School to move forward with $125,000 grant to bring real broadband to those communities

Concerned citizens of Clay, Calhoun and Roane counties are moving forward with preparing and submitting a plan to build and promote a broadband infrastructure in the three county region.

The region is among the nation's most under-served areas with the 21st Century technology.

The initial grant was announced last week in Charleston.

The plan uses a public/private partnership model, with support from the Regional Intergovernmental Council, the three county commissions, and the economic development councils.

The challenge is to overcome the low-population density, mountainous terrain, and socioeconomic barriers.

Serving from Calhoun on the committee, Larry Baker, Charles Thomas and Bob Weaver.

The committee released a statement of what real broadband would mean for these areas: