RURAL UTILITIES SERVICE - Northern Arizona University

Community Connect Broadband Grant Program Cedar Unified School District, Jeddito, Arizona FY 2004

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Rural Development United States Department of Agriculture

RURAL UTILITIES SERVICE

Community Connect Broadband Grant Application for

Cedar Unified School District Jeddito, Arizona Fiscal Year 2004

Community Connect Broadband Grant Program Cedar Unified School District, Jeddito, Arizona FY 2004

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Grant Application Table of Contents B. An Executive Summary of the Project.................................................................................... 1 C. Scoring Criteria Documentation ............................................................................................. 4 D. System Design ...................................................................................................................... 17 E. A Scope of Work .................................................................................................................. 18 F. Community-Oriented Connectivity Plan .............................................................................. 19 G. Financial Information and Sustainability.............................................................................. 22 H. A Statement of Experience ................................................................................................... 23 I. Evidence of Legal Authority and Existence ......................................................................... 24 J. Funding Commitments from Other Sources ......................................................................... 25 K. Compliance with Other Federal Statutes and Regulations ................................................... 26

Community Connect Broadband Grant Program Executive Summary of the Project FY 2004

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B. An Executive Summary of the Project The primary goal of this project is to construct a 250’ ft. tower to employ and support a community-oriented T-1 broadband transmission to the school district, dental health clinic, and Chapter House(including Head Start Center and Senior Center), rural residents, and rural businesses in the Native American community of Jeddito located on the Navajo Indian Reservation in northeastern Arizona. We will also acquire, expand, equip, and operate a parent involvement community center located on the Jeddito K-8 school property. Free access to the broadband services will be offered for the community center, critical care facilities, and community residences for at least two years.

1. A description of why the project is needed;

Broadband, the future of telecommunications, promises to connect communities at a higher speed with higher capacity, always-on, interactive internet services providing an effective means for economic and social development for individuals and geographically remote communities across the Nation. The small, rural community of Jeddito sits on a small island of Navajo Nation tribal land just inside the eastern boundary of the Hopi Reservation in northeastern Arizona. Landlocked inside the Hopi Reservation, Jeddito residents have been denied access to utility service right of ways across Hopi lands consequently limiting access to basic utilities such as water, electricity, and phone service restricting access to opportunities only present in a telecommunications world.

The community has 290 residents, 99 households, and 79 families living well below the poverty level. Families earn a yearly per capita income of $5,347 with a median family salary of $12,778. The Jeddito K-8 school is the only location with a VSAT satellite for internet access with a 64Kbps uplink and 256Kbps downlink. The current system does not have the speed or capacity to support broadband service or any interactive applications. The provision of a broadband transmission service will greatly benefit Jeddito by providing residents the opportunity to gain the knowledge, skills, and resources necessary for them to foster economic development, and enhance education, healthcare, and public safety for the Jeddito community and surrounding area. 2. A description of the applicant; The Cedar Unified School District #25 (Entity ID: 4395) is the applicant for the Community Connect Broadband Grant Program. The Public School District is a political subdivision of this the State of Arizona with its geographic boundaries organized for the purpose of the administration, support and maintenance of the public schools or an accommodation school (see Arizona State Legislature: Definitions located at the following website: http://www.azleg.state.az.us/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/ars/15/00101.htm). 3. An explanation of the total project cost;

The total project cost is $354,500. The RUS funds will cover 85% of the total cost primarily funding the construction and installation of the Self Supporting 250’ tower, 8DS1 Radio and 802.11G Community access radio hardware expenses, and the monthly broadband

http://www.azleg.state.az.us/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/ars/15/00101.htm

Community Connect Broadband Grant Program Executive Summary of the Project FY 2004

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connectivity for two years. The school district is contributing 15% of the total cost at $53,175 and will cover the costs of ten new computers for the community center, the Cisco Wireless Access point for bridging, a Cisco 12dBi Omni-directional antenna, a LMR-400 Microwave cable, and the networking/router and desktop support. 4. A general overview of the telecommunications system to be developed, including the

types of equipment, technologies, and facilities used; A 250’ tower will be erected for a telecommunications system consisting of a T-1 antenna and radio, broadcasting out to a remote site located 25 miles away. A Cisco wireless access point will also be installed on top of the tower to provide network access to the community center and to the internet through individual radios installed at the critical community facilities. Local residents will have the opportunity to install a home antenna that communicates with this radio, the school, and the internet. Each community critical facility (public school district, dental health clinic, Chapter House – including Head Start and Senior Citizen’s Center) will consist of a Cisco 54 Mbps radio with a Cisco 24-port switch and a computer terminal with access to the basic broadband service.

5. Documentation describing the procedures used to determine the unavailability of existing broadband service; and

Since 2002, the Cedar Unified School District (hereafter CUSD) has received satellite

internet from the Arizona Public Schools Computer Consortium at Northern Arizona University (hereafter APSCC). The CUSD uses a bi-directional satellite internet access device that is the GroundControl 4020 dedicated IP communication system. The 4020 provides 256Kbps inbound internet access and 64Kbps outbound internet access with a 56Kbps recovery time (actual speed). The system uses bursting technology to seem as though it is working faster than 56Kbps on the inbound side. The 4020 uses a .98Meter dish with a LNB on the receiver and a 1Watt BUC on the transmit side. The same service was provided by ESAT from 1998-2002.

6. A description of the participating community organizations (such as schools,

health care providers, police and fire departments, etc.).

This project represents a community plan devised by the Cedar Unified Public School District, the Jeddito Chapter of the Navajo Nation, the Jeddito Dental Health Clinic, Indian Health Services, the Jeddito Indian Education Committee, the Jeddito Community Land Use and Planning Committee, and the Arizona Public School Computer Consortium at Northern Arizona University.

Community Connect Broadband Grant Program Summary Worksheet of the Project FY 2004

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U.S. Department of Agriculture

Rural Utilities Service

Summary Worksheet Please print or type. Legal Name: Cedar Unified School District #25 Organization Name: Superintendent’s Office Contact Person: Gary Hicks Phone Number: 928/738-2366 Fax Number: 928/738-5404 Web Site (if applicable): http://cusd25.k12.az.us Address: PO Box 367, Keams Canyon, AZ 86034

Grant Requested $301,325 Matching Contribution $53,175 Other Supplemental Funding N/A Total Project Cost $354,500

Objective Criterion Total Number

of Points

Rurality of the project service area 40 Economic need of the project service area 30

Community Connect Broadband Grant Program Scoring Criteria Documentation of the Project FY 2004

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C. Scoring Criteria Documentation

1. Rurality of the Project Service Area:

Service Area Community

Population

Level

Points

Jeddito, Arizona

390

1

40

* Denote Level based on the following table:

Community Having a Population: Level Over Not in Excess of Points 1 499 40 2 499 1,000 35 3 1,000 2,000 30 4 2,000 3,000 25 5 3,000 4,000 20 6 4,000 5,000 15 7 5,000 10,000 10 8 10,000 20,000 5

Community Connect Broadband Grant Program Scoring Criteria Documentation, FY 2004

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2. Economic Need of the Project Service Area (up to 30 points)

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Rural Utilities Service

Economic Need Calculation Worksheet

Applicants are awarded points for providing service in a Community where the per capita personal income (PCI) is less than 75% of the national average per capita income (NAPCI) of 21,587. Enter the Community name and it’s PCI in dollars (found at http://factfinder.census.gov) and calculate the percentage of the NAPCI in the table below.

Service Area Community

(a) Community PCI in

Dollars

(b) NAPCI in Dollars

(a) ÷ (b)

PCI as % of NAPCI

Jeddito, AZ

$5,347

$21,587

25%

Using the scale below, award the appropriate number of points in the box below for the community on PCI as a percent of NAPCI: 0 pts. if ≥ 75%

POINTS:

30 _________________

5 pts. If ≥ 70% but < 75% 10 pts. if ≥ 65% but < 70%; 15 pts. if ≥ 60% but < 65%; 20 pts. if ≥ 55% but < 60%; 25 pts. if ≥ 50% but < 55%; 30 pts. if < 50%.

Attachment 2b

http://factfinder.census.gov/


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3. Benefits derived from the proposed service (up to 30 points): INTRODUCTION

Broadband, the future of telecommunications, promises to connect communities at a higher speed with higher capacity, always-on, interactive internet services providing the an effective means for economic and social development for individuals and geographically remote communities across the Nation. This proposal discusses the benefits and opportunities that broadband technology has to offer the residents of the small, rural community of Jeddito, Arizona. A reliable connection to the internet exists for many schools and underserved populations in America; however, many rural, hard-to-reach, underserved Native American communities have yet to experience this key developmental tool (Bennett 2003). Broadband community connectivity will significantly contribute to the overall health and well-being of one such overlooked community of Jeddito, AZ – an extremely rural, isolated, hard-to-get-to Native American community located on the Navajo reservation in northeastern Arizona.

This project represents a community plan devised by the Cedar Unified Public School District, the Jeddito Chapter of the Navajo Nation, the Jeddito Dental Health Clinic, Indian Health Services, the Jeddito Indian Education Committee, the Jeddito Community Land Use and Planning Committee, and the Arizona Public School Computer Consortium at Northern Arizona University. The School District performed a needs assessment with a survey tool, conducted personal interviews, and requested Letters of Support from local community members regarding their interest in supporting and helping to plan and implement the community broadband connectivity plan (see supplemental information). Funding this project will join the Rural Utilities Service of the United States Department of Agriculture with the Jeddito community to help boost the local economy and promote self-respect, sovereignty, and political and social empowerment by offering a reliable broadband service to Jeddito and surrounding community areas.

The primary goal of this project is to provide the resources to employ and support a community-oriented broadband transmission service to all critical community facilities, rural residents, and rural businesses and to acquire, expand, equip, and operate a community center that provides free access to broadband services to community residences for at least two years. The provision of broadband transmission service is vital for Jeddito residents to have the opportunity to gain the knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to foster economic development, and enhance education, healthcare, and public safety for the Jeddito community and surrounding area. COMMUNITY PROFILE

The small, rural community of Jeddito or Jadi (Antelope Water) sits on a small island of Navajo Nation tribal land just inside the eastern boundary of the Hopi Reservation in northeastern Arizona. The Navajo-Hopi Land Dispute began in 1882 and continues to the present. In September and October 1944, many Navajo families were forcefully removed from their homes on the old Hopi reservation to live on the Jeddito “island.” Jeddito “island” refers to a remote land island completely surrounded by the Hopi partitioned land. Jeddito, located on the island proper, is home to many Navajo families who have been victimized by a century-long land dispute between the Navajo and Hopi tribes (Brugge 1999; Dempsey 2003a & 2003b). As a result, Jeddito residents have been denied access to basic utility lines because they must cross


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Hopi land to reach the Jeddito island. The Navajo-Hopi land dispute continues and the economic well being of the Jeddito community continues to suffer.

The town is located along the edge of the Jeddito wash at roughly 6400 ft. above sea level where sage brush and scattered desert grasses blanket the landscape. Pinon and juniper woodlands dominant the high mesas that flank the edges of expansive arroyos and washes that dissect the landscape and define the social and political entities defined within this desert topography. Horses, cattle, and sheep graze along the road frequently crossing over to take advantage of greener sagebrush pastures. “Jeddito is more rural than any rural Alaskan community I have ever worked in,” states Dr. Charles Weber lead dentist at the Jeddito Dental Health Clinic.

Distance to health care facilities is often prohibitive and dangerous for the critical patients and inefficient, outdated, and costly for many of the other residents. Local residents, school administrators, and dental health specialists have to drive to Keams Canyon just to receive and send their mail. Social Services, public safety, and/or police protection are next to non-existent. And when it rains, it pours -- our community shuts down due to a lack of electricity and phone services to the outside world. ACCESS TO BASIC SERVICES

The closest grocery store and affordable gas station is over 70 miles away with the nearest airport located just over 5 hours away. In 1999, the Navajo Nation reported that 81.6% of its residents do not have a reliable telephone service. The residents of Jeddito are no different with approximately 80% percent of the homes having an unreliable, poor reception, single line cell phone that only works on sunny days or on the highest hilltops. In the homes lacking phone service, service is not available or too expensive to purchase. Many families still live in a traditional home and do not have electricity, water, or heat. Children living in these conditions spend a lot of time gathering wood, lighting kerosene lamps, and collecting water. ACCESS TO THE INTERNET

The Jeddito School is the only critical community facility with internet access. Currently the school is using a VSAT satellite for internet access with 64Kbps uplink and 256Kbps downlink. The current system is excessively slow and does not have the capacity to support broadband service or interactive applications for a single individual, never mind an entire community. Internet access would be provided to the school which already houses and maintains over 300 computers, two computer labs, and a parental involvement center, and to the surrounding community via wireless links to the tower. Approximately 10% of local residents own a computer and many of our residents showed interest in purchasing one once they knew a reliable broadband service was in sight. In the past four years approximately 80% of our community households received television services via dish or direct TV satellite. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

The success of broadband community deployment relies heavily on the networking infrastructure. Community centers provide first points of access to the technology for intra-community networking joining together the critical community facilities and local residents and


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businesses. Implementing a community led plan to create a broadband networking environment bestows upon our underserved population the economic possibilities present only in a broadband world. The community center will be the focal point for training and instruction in technology, worker training, and distance education opportunities. It will also offer us the much needed and severely lacking communication and research tools required by community members to increase the overall well being of the family and community lifestyle.

Our community possesses all the social problems that permeate rural, low income, Native America. High mortality rates result from a severely diabetic population, high levels of alcoholism, poor healthcare, drug abuse (as early as 3rd grade), and domestic violence to name a few culprits. As adults, we juggle with the challenges of child care, job security, long commutes, and school. To obtain an advanced degree we have to drive over 2 ½ hours to our regional university and up to 1 ½ hours for other worker training and educational opportunities.

Economically depressed does not adequately describe how our community has been neglected. With a $5,347 per capita income and a median family salary of $12,778 we are continuously challenged to make ends meet. Our unemployment rate of 11% only represents the 47% of the population who are actually a part of the labor force. Job opportunities in our community are limited primarily to education, social services, and public health. Many local artists travel over 6 hours just to sell their products to a middle man who makes a substantial salary off of our talent.

Jeddito local residents have many dreams and ideas of how we could escape the economic traps set before us – we truly believe the lack of communication is the primary limiting factor contributing to our lack of economic success and overall well being. We need more communication lines running in and out of our community to harness all the social, economic, political, and education opportunities available and to transform our community to a highly functioning, empowered, and self reliant community. “I feel like I live in the Third World,” states Bernice Bitsoie, Indian Education Committee Coordinator in Jeddito.

Our community is on an upward trend but needs more resources to help boost the economy. For example, the Community Land Use Planning Committee is in the process of implementing a proposal to construct a community gas station, local convenient store, post office, hardware store, and an Indian Market. Many of the local residents are desperate to communicate with the outside world. We desire to send and receive information, perform basic research on things like auto and health insurance, retirement plans, online banking options, real estate opportunities, education scholarships, and basic communication with family members attending colleges or universities located at great distances from their home.

Many of the local residents lay their claim to fame through their art. A huge demand for the famous Navajo textile weavings by art collectors, tourists, museums, and international art collections could be fulfilled via e-commerce solutions. Currently, local artisans or collectors drive over 5 hours in all directions to sell and/or purchase Native arts and crafts. The unique arts and crafts of the Navajo and Hopi also include sand paintings, pottery, basketry, Native style clothing, and painting. Jerry Jim, the school district’s technology administrator, has a brother who is a silver smith who would love to sell his work online and has all the skills, both artistic and technological, but does not have access to a local server that could provide a reliable connection to host and deliver a secure e-commerce solution.

We want to host a community website providing consumers with a one stop virtual visit to the Jeddito community. Students could learn about the unique circumstances that surround the geographical, organizational, and political structure of our community and our Native History.


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Consumers would have the capability to virtually shop our art, and find out about local community public events. By hosting our own community website more people will be drawn to visit, contribute to, and help sustain the economic well being of our rural, Native American community. The website would also be used for intra-community communication offering links to employment and daycare opportunities, senior citizen activities, community health opportunities, agriculture information, and an overall awareness regarding the community land use and development plan.

Our community-led plan to create a broadband networking environment and the creation of a tribal information economy will improve the depressed economic situation on the Navajo Reservation generally, and the Jeddito community more specifically. Future growth and the strengthening of tribal life depend on information technology as a means of economic empowerment (Casey, Ross, and Warren 1999:15).

As a community, we have developed the following strategic goals in an effort to achieve a higher level of economic independence and the overall economic welfare of our community. Economic Strategic Goals

1. By February 2007, a broadband networking environment will connect a community center with all critical community facilities with free service for two years and provide services to local residents and businesses resulting in at least a 100% increase in internet connectivity for the Jeddito economic sectors and a 25% increase for local residents.

2. All local community members will have the opportunity to learn in a broadband communication environment about how they can improve their present economic situation resulting in a 10% increase of community members participating in the labor force and a 2% decrease in the unemployment rate and an overall increase in the median family income and per capita income by the U.S. Census 2010.

STUDENT EDUCATION AND CULTURAL DETERMINATION

Community networking using a broadband infrastructure will create the integration necessary between home and school that ensures student and parent success in an educational environment which ultimately translates to success in the economic sector. Students will have the opportunity to build confidence in their technological abilities necessary for succeeding in today’s world. Teachers, parents, and students will have access to online Native American oriented education materials, Adult Basic Education programs, GED Preparation programs, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) programs, and community members will have access to online degree programs and worker training. The resources from this grant will provide our students, parents, and community members with the opportunity to successful members of the dominant society while also maintaining and empowering them with regards to their traditional upbringing. Education is used to “help preserve rather than replace Indian traditions” (NIEA 2001, About NIEA). EDUCATION AT THE SCHOOL

Reports from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) indicate that as early as the fourth grade, Native American students score below the national level in basic reading, math and history (NAEP, 2002). Most recent data from the Arizona AIMS standardized


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tests (2003) indicate that by the fifth and eighth grades, more than 83% of students in the Navajo Reservation schools do not meet any of the math, reading and writing standards, with only 2% of eighth grade math students meeting the standards (compared to 21% of eighth graders passing statewide). In the Jeddito community, by the fifth grade 97%, 83%, and 90% of the students do not consecutively meet the math, reading, and writing standards. And in the eighth grade 0%, 18%, and 14% consecutively met the mathematics, reading, and writing standards. By all counts these children are being left behind.

Native Americans also have one of the highest dropout rates in the country, with about 36% not finishing high school – almost twice the national average (Swisher and Tippeconic III, 1999). These low graduation rates have a serious negative impact on local economies and communities that reverberates for years. NAEP (2002) lists several school-related deficits that have been identified in research as critical factors in dropout rates across groups, including Native Americans. The list includes: large schools, uncaring teachers, irrelevant curriculum, inappropriate testing, passive teaching methods, tracked classes, and lack of parent involvement. While not all of these indicators apply to the Jeddito and nearby White Cone schools located in the Cedar USD at least two indicators are particularly worth noting, and these are ‘irrelevant curriculum’ and ‘passive teaching methods.’ Yet, research indicates that Native American students are more responsive and engaged when the curriculum is culturally relevant and incorporates opportunities for interaction (e.g., McREL, 2002).

Our school with its 421 (99.8% Native American) students and 127 personnel face a variety of challenges from high teacher and administrator turn over rates, inadequate resources, to the challenges associated with having a student population who are primarily limited English Proficient (up to 82%) and come from an economically disadvantaged home life. Consequently, our school has been underperforming and not met yearly progress according the standards set by the State of Arizona and the federal No Child Left Behind Act. As a result, our children receive an inadequate education and are falling far behind the national average. And without adequate technological resources, we are not only falling far behind but wonder if we will ever catch up.

“My daughter attends Hopi High School with her cousin who lives on the Hopi reservation. They have many classes together and both have homework that relies on using the internet as a research tool. We have a computer at home but we don’t have access to the internet. My daughter wonders where her cousin gets all her information for her school reports and research papers. She does not have an equal opportunity to learn due to the lack of communication services in our community. I feel bad for her and really want to do what I can to get her the resources she needs to live a successful life.” Gary Bitsoie, Cedar Unified School District Board Member and Information Technologist for the Hopi Health Care Center.

Broadband services will also benefit administrators and the local governmental offices in

regards to the timely submission of critical data to the Arizona Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Education. Much of the data submitted determines the level of funding from both State aid and Impact aid. If the data is not submitted electronically, the school district loses a part if not all of the related funding for a school district. For example, our student attendance data at both the state and federal levels is only received electronically and must be submitted every 20 days.


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Furthermore, the grant resources will provide the broadband foundation necessary for creating a community of culturally-aware teachers and bi-culturally empowered learners. Educators will have the opportunity to facilitate a learning environment incorporating both formal and informal learning strategies. Informal learning strategies include learning through oral tradition or storytelling, songs, games, and arts and crafts. Using video and audio recordings they will be able to capture the performance of the story, song, or the process of art and craft creation. Using multimedia programming, they can create interactive educational experiences focusing on the Navajo language, culture, community, and the surrounding physical and cultural environments. So the lessons can be viewed as a set of organized resources that if used in conjunction with physical classroom or field trip experiences will instill a strong sense of motivation for the students.

The bicultural students and their parents must learn “the norms of the dominant culture while deciding whether to maintain or abandon their own ethnicity (Young and Adler 2001:10-11).” This process can be and has been a very painful experience for many of our youth especially when mainstream society has a negative perspective of a minority culture. The pressure for bicultural children can be an extremely frustrating experience.

Together parents, teachers, and students would have the opportunity to explore museum, library, and web sites that house culturally relevant education materials that help the bicultural students to identify themselves with their own culture (i.e., http:// nettrain.unm.edu). Consequently, that student is taught to set goals and obtain power and self-identity that ultimately encourages lifetime learning and gives that child a true purpose in life. DISTANCE EDUCATION

Since its inception in 1981, online distance education, online learning, or web based instruction has evolved into a major educational technology serving millions of learners. Prior to its origins, an advanced education was primarily limited to the face-to-face interaction of traditional recently graduated high school students with a professor in a physical classroom setting. The significance of distance education to rural communities such as Jeddito gives the non-traditional adult learner the opportunity to return to college while continuing their jobs and raising their families while still living in their homes. Nontraditional students now make up more than half of the students enrolled in higher education (Farson 2000) and many of the adults in our community would truly benefit from the distance education opportunities in adult basic education, GED preparation, English for Speakers of Other Languages, and worker training such as paraprofessional teacher training or hygienist/dental assistant training.

In Jeddito, we have many individuals particularly interested in furthering their education through a distance education mode of delivery and pursuing a variety of employment opportunities for instance Dental Hygiene, Information Technology, GED preparation, Adult Basic Education, MA in Education. The list goes on concerning those non traditional adults interested in having the opportunity to not only achieve their own education dreams but to have available everything from summer remedial, pre-college curricular activities to enrichment programs for their children. In addition, we have 20 teacher aides who will have access to all the resources in The Master Teacher paraprofessional teacher training program that the Cedar Unified School District recently purchased.

Fortunately, with the advent of the internet and the more recent development and deployment of broadband services the quality of the learning experience in an online


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environment has increased tremendously in just the last five years. Consequently, as a school district, we have worked with the Arizona School Improvement Team, teachers, administrators, technology staff, School Board members, and interested community participants to work to meet the following education strategic goals for our students and adults in the Jeddito Community. We think it is imperative to develop a program that draws in parent and community involvement as well as curricular extension into the community using culturally relevant resources that typically require broadband access in conjunction with multimedia technology in the classroom. Providing broadband services to the school computers, computer labs, community center, and in homes will not only help support the extensive school district technology plan and the school improvement plan (see supplemental attachments; School Improvement Plan on file with CUSD) but will also guarantee an improvement in both student and adult education opportunities.

Education Strategic Goals

3. Increase student achievement in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics through the use of technology in elementary and secondary schools with a target of fully integrating technology into the academic curriculum by December 2006.

4. By the end of February 2007, 75% of participating teachers, staff, administrators, and community members will be involved in a distance education program through an institution of higher education or a worker training program.

5. Ensure that the all K-12 institutions in the Cedar Unified School District have the capacity, broadband infrastructure, staffing, and equipment to meet academic and business needs for the effective and efficient operations of the school and community.

6. By the end of each program year, 75% of participating adults and family members in ESOL education will show an increase of one educational functioning level using the nationally recognized Basic English Skills Test (BEST) or IDEA Reading and Writing Proficiency standard test.

HEALTH CARE

Internet-driven telemedicine and telehealth services with the proper broadband

infrastructure could provide the required backbone for rural healthcare and home health care services in the Jeddito community. Sophisticated telecommunication solutions can result in many benefits when appropriately used to address the unsolved problems faced by the American Indian health care system on the Navajo Nation. Broadband is not necessarily the solution, however, it empowers health clinics to use technology for local community needs assessments and program development. For example, in the early 1990s, a significant decrease in the availability of trained dental assistants prompted IHS to develop a series of online training programs and short courses to orient new employees to dental assistance as a career. The interactive curriculum offers standardized training at the local field offices that have access to internet services. Health clinics across the Navajo and Hopi tribes consist of many nodes connected to closed network system with help facilities, hospitals, dental clinics with external access to up to date health alerts, expert opinion, and current resources. The health service network allows for the sharing of patient data between health facilities in addition to


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administrative and financial data to be transferred from the health facilities to the main offices and then to the main offices where the processing of accounting and third party billing occurs.

Indian Health Services IHS is a federally funded health care provider with limited resources working through tribally contracted and locally operated health programs. The IHS Dental Health Program, the sole health service clinic in Jeddito, has a broad mission to support American Indians as they work to improve their oral health. Their primary objectives are to reduce dental decay in children, periodontal disease in children and adults, fluoridating community water systems, and providing dental sealants (IHS 2000). Increased population growth and a decrease in qualified dental providers explain why residents on the Navajo Nation have witnessed a reduction in the access to care in the past ten years. In the past five years, the program is experiencing a dramatic decrease in dentists.

The health status of American Indians has seen many gains since the inception of the Indian Health Service in 1955. However, the overall health and well being of this population has faced tremendous dilemmas directly correlated with the low socioeconomic status, and significant chronic health problems that far exceed any other populations in the United States. The five leading causes of death on the Navajo Nation are cardiovascular disease, neoplasms, accidents, chronic liver disease, and diabetes. Severe oral disease such as dental caries in preschool age children, periodontal disease among the adult populations, and oral cancer due to an increase in the use of tobacco, prompted the IHS to design a variety of targeted programs to help promote a healthy lifestyle and focus on disease prevention. Unfortunately, the Navajo Nation has a persistent shortage of dentists. And many online staff development dental programs and dental health higher education opportunities are missed due to the lack of technological resources available to interested community members. As a result, Native communities are trapped from moving forward in the realm of overall health and well being.

Dr. Charles Weber, the lead dentist, and his two dental assistants, Marilyn Chee and Etta Tsosie, face daunting challenges as they try to provide efficient and effective, quality dental health services to the Jeddito community. More than 20% of their combined time is spent traveling to order and pick up supplies, send and receive mail, attend mandatory training, obtain access to their patient’s data, and filling out paper work by hand. Due to the unreliable mail service, patients do not receive their appointment cards on time. Routine temperature inspections, work orders, researching a patient’s medical history, filling out of the clinical patient record brief worksheet, time card tracking using the ITASK system, access to the public service monthly newsletter, and overall lack of dental education restrains the dental health clinic from solving their current dilemma of securing an adequate standard of living as well as obtaining quality health services for their families.

All the previously stated problems could be solved by the clinic having a reliable internet connection. All of these services are offered in the online environment. This poor communication between the clinic and the primary care facility, Hopi Health Center, located over an hour away, severely limits their ability to provide a high quality dental service to the community. With this in mind, the dental health clinic staff has set the following strategic goals for the Community Broadband Connectivity Grant:

7. Ensure that the IHS dental health clinic has the capacity, broadband infrastructure, staffing, and equipment to meet health care and administrative needs for effective and efficient operations of the clinic for the community.


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8. By the end February 2007, staff will gain 20% more time to spend providing a higher quality dental health service to the Jeddito community producing an overall increase in the number of patients served.

9. By the end of February 2007, all dental health care assistants will have undertaken all of their mandatory training in the online environment and will have had the opportunity to participate in other online distance education opportunities in the field of health care.

LOCAL GOVERNANCE, PUBLIC SAFETY, AND SOCIAL SERVICES

Broadband community connectivity produces well informed tribal communities resulting in significant possibilities for rural communities through the interaction and information sharing with other communities and the outside world. Official tribal and community websites share press releases, employment opportunities, health advisories, youth opportunities and activities, education resources (scholarships). The Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety reports information regarding corrections, victim assistance programs, internal affairs, law enforcement recruitment programs, and national issues such as Homeland Security, Child Abuse, Family and Domestic Violence. In addition, online welfare reform programs could track, monitor, and train individuals to develop local business plans and/or seek out other digitally driven employment opportunities.

Advanced telecommunication solutions using broadband technology has the potential to really benefit a rural Native American community. Community members embrace their challenges and make use of the technology to communicate to the local residents what social service and public safety programs are available and when.

The Chapter House President, Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer, Community Services Coordinator, Grazing Board Advisor, and two Council Delegates make up the Chapter House council. The council is the seat of local governmental authority for the Navajo tribe and represents local interests to the larger tribe as a whole and is responsible for communicating events, education and social service opportunities, and tribal activities to the local community through flyers and social gatherings. The Chapter House is involved in a variety of community services including but not limited to temporary employment services, home health care, adult in home care, Veteran’s activities, two Head Start Centers, one Senior Citizen’s Center. The Chapter House is actively involved in trying to address community needs through a variety of means. However, their primary objective is to become certified under the Navajo Nation Local Governance Act. Consequently, the Chapter House would have the authority to enter into a variety of contracts (federal, state, private, and non-profit) and to run their own Head Start and Senior Citizen’s Center programs. At this time their sole purpose is to become a sovereign community within the Navajo Nation. In order to become certified, they have to abide by five online management systems standardized by the Navajo Nation – accounting, property, personnel, records, and procurement. This much needed secure connection to the world beyond Jeddito and outside the boundaries of the Navajo Nation is not only inadequate, limited, and restricted but more often than not it is completely absent.

As previously stated, our community is completely neglected when it comes to public safety and law enforcement. The town has one police officer housed at the Chapter House and the School District has two security officers who provide security for the school district and associated housing facilities. Local residents are faced with an assortment of health, education, economic, safety, and social stresses resulting from the economic and educational demands


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directed from within, across, and outside the boundaries of both the Navajo and Hopi Reservations.

The Community Connect Broadband plan to connect the Chapter House as a critical community facility will give our community the opportunity to work together on our community website design, plan, and implementation. It will also ensure that our Chapter House can serve as a vehicle for us to become a well informed, sovereign tribal authority that is more prepared to respond to pressing social, economic, and political issues and challenges. Our community will be better able to promote tribal leadership through the development of focused strategies for community programs resulting in sound decision making and locally based policies and plans that significantly contribute to a more effective and efficient local and regional tribal leadership. We have one primary strategic goal we would like to see develop as a result of this grant.

10. By February 2007, we will be certified under the Navajo Nation Local Governance Act in

all five management systems including accounting, property, personnel, records, and procurement. As a result, the Chapter House will be able to secure their own funds to ensure the sustainability of this project as well as bring a variety of funds and resources to the community as a local government authority ensuring an economic recovery and an overall 2% decrease in the unemployment rate by U.S. Census 2010.

CONCLUSION

Broadband technology experienced through the internet has become a primary tool for economic and social development and an invaluable resource for education and entertainment. The capacity with which broadband has to deliver important communication services to rural, hard-to-get-to communities has been shown by the benefits and examples in this proposal. Broadband has the ability to greatly enhance the quality of living as well as to significantly augment the economic base of rural communities.

As of the U.S. Census 2000, 290 residents, 99 households, and 79 families call Jeddito their home. A majority (92.56%) of the residents are Native Americans either from the Hopi or Navajo tribes. This barren desert landscape is where they come from, who they are, and where they would like to stay -- to raise their families and maintain a connection to their traditional upbringing. However, like many Native American communities they have had to make many compromises during the course of history in an effort to maintain their language and culture within a sea of a dominant Anglo society. Both the Navajo Nation and the Hopi tribes have also made considerable adaptations to foster their economic and social livelihood, in addition to raising their children in a bicultural society. A reliable broadband service available for two years of free service and the continued access through the community center and other critical community facilities would greatly improve the lives of the families of the Jeddito community and surrounding area.

The final objective for the grant is to devise and implement a sustainability plan to ensure broadband services are available beyond the life of the project. To continue the collaborative atmosphere of the project we will hold quarterly meetings with Community Stakeholders for the enhancement and fulfillment of Project Goal and Objectives. Local community support is a key component of the Community Connect grant program. By engaging all the constituents of the Jeddito community, we will be able to provide and sustain a comprehensive deployment of broadband services. Consequently, our community-centered program will result in significant


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advances in all aspects of tribal society such as tribal finances, social, economic, political, formal and informal education, health care and public safety, and in the overall welfare of the community.

Community Connect Broadband Grant Program System Design, FY 2004

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D. System Design

A 250’ tower will be constructed for a telecommunications system consisting of a T-1 antenna and radio, broadcasting out to community sites located within a 25 mile radius. The proposed community center will be housed in the already existing parent involvement center located on the Jeddito K-8 school property. The school district already funds the position for a parent involvement coordinator whose primary responsibilities are to provide technology training and activities to parents in the community. The school district will purchase 10 new Dell workstations to create a state-of-the-art community center and open up training opportunities to the community. The center will be open after normal business hours and on Saturday or Sunday. The Indian Health Service Dental Health Clinic, the Chapter House and its associated Head Start and Senior Citizen Centers, and the entire School District will use a Cisco 54 Mbps radio with a Cisco 24-port switch and computer terminal with access to the basic broadband service. Each critical community facility has at least one computer terminal with the Chapter House having seven terminals available for broadband access points. Local residents will have the opportunity to install a home antenna that communicates with this radio, the school, and the internet. See the attached itemized budget for all project costs.

Community Connect Broadband Grant Program Scope of Work, FY 2004

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E. A Scope of Work

Budget Phase Description ResponsibleParty

Time Frame

RUS Funds Matching Funds

Tower Hardware: $101,000

Tower Installation: $44,000

8DS1 Radio: $65,000

I. Tower Construction

Build a wireless radio tower on the Jeddito School property and provide a local broadband infrastructure for internet connectivity.

CUSD/APSCC (Trevor Williams)

2/2005 – 5/2005

802.11G Community Radio: $7250

Cisco Wireless Access Point for Bridging: $3,500

Cisco 12dBi Antenna: $2,500

II. Critical Community Facilities Connection

Connect local critical community centers in the Jeddito community to help facilitate and universal access to advanced services and delivering an assortment of services to local residents.

CUSD/APSCC/Chapter House/Head Start Centers/Senior Citizen Center/Dental Health Clinic

5/2005

LMR-400 Microwave Cable: $1,250

III. Community Center

Acquire, expand, equip and operate a community resource center that provides free access to broadband services to community residences for at least two years in the already existing parent involvement center.

CUSD 5/2005 10 Dell OptiplexWorkstations: $16,000

IV. Training and Community Outreach

Hire parent involvement and provide community outreach training.

CUSD 5/2005 –2/2007 (ongoing)

Part of already budgeted District Personnel

Network and Router Support: $18,000

V. Project Maintenance and Sustainability

Provide, maintain, and support broadband services and tower, networks, and desktops.

CUSD/APSCC

5/2005 – 2/2007 (ongoing)

Monthly Connectivity @ $3,500 for two years: $84,000

Desktop Support: $11,925

Total Cost: $354,500

Community Connect Broadband Grant Program Community-Oriented Connectivity Plan, FY 2004

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F. Community-Oriented Connectivity Plan 1. A listing of all critical community facilities located in the Jeddito community and who

will will receive broadband service include the Jeddito Public School, Jeddito Chapter House and associated Head Start Centers (2) and Senior Citizen Center, and the Indian Health Service Dental Health Clinic. Letters of Support from each critical community facility are included with the supplemental information.

2. A description of the services available to local residents through the use of the community center The state of the art community center will be located in the parent involvement center on

the Jeddito School campus. The parent involvement center will have a minimum of 10 Dell Workstations running Windows XP as well as the Microsoft Office 2003 Suite. A self supporting 250’ tower will house a T-1 antenna broadcasting out to a remote site for access to the internet. There will be a 10’ by 10’ corrugated steel structure installed at the based of the tower that will house the T-1 radio as well as backup power systems. A Cisco wireless access point will also be installed on top of the tower to provide network access to the community center and to the internet through individual radios installed at the critical community facilities. Local residents will have the opportunity to install a home antenna that communicates with this radio, the school, and the internet. Each community critical facility (public school district, dental health clinic, Chapter House) will consist of a Cisco 54 Mbps radio with a Cisco 24-port switch and a computer terminal with access to the basic broadband service. 3. A listing of the proposed telecommunications equipment follows: Tower hardware expenses: $101,000 Rohn Tapered Top 1Rohn 10' Welded Straight Section with Top Bracket 1Rohn 20' Heavy Duty Knock Down Tapered Section 1Rohn 20' Heavy Duty Knock Down Tapered Section 1Rohn 20' Heavy Duty Knock Down Tapered Section 1Rohn 20' Heavy Duty Knock Down Tapered Section 1Rohn 20' Heavy Duty Knock Down Tapered Section 1Rohn 20' Heavy Duty Knock Down Tapered Section 1Rohn 20' Heavy Duty Knock Down Tapered Section 1Rohn 20' Heavy Duty Knock Down Tapered Section 1Rohn 20' Heavy Duty Knock Down Tapered Section 1Rohn 20' Heavy Duty Knock Down Tapered Section 1Rohn 20' Heavy Duty Knock Down Tapered Section 1Rohn 20' Heavy Duty Knock Down Tapered Section 1Rohn Anti-Climb Warning Sign 1Rohn Base Grounding Kit 3Rohn Anchoring Kit for 170-190' towers 1Carmanah 702 Series LED Aviation Obstruction Lights (Solar Powered) 6Shipping from Peoria, IL to Flagstaff, AZ 1Rebar for Anchors for Base 1


20

Concrete for Anchors for Base 110X10X8 Corrugated Steel Box for Hardware with A/C 1

Tower installation expenses: $44,000 Tower Construction and Installation 1Power Installation and Generator Installation 1Excavation 1

T-1 radio and antenna expenses: $65,000 8DS1 Radio Transmitter/Receiver 15KVA Solar System with 2000Amp-hours and Type-I Disconnect Panel 1Power Supply -48VDC @ 20AMP 1LMR-1200 Microwave Cable 250’

Community broadcast radio expenses: $7,250 Cisco Wireless Access Point for Bridging 5Cisco 12dBi Omnidirectional Antenna 5LMR-400 Microwave Cable 500’

Network and internet access expenses: $84,000 1.544Mbps Internet Connection at Whitecone (Nearest Network Access Point) 11.544Mbps Point to Point Connection from Whitecone to Jeddito 1

School matching contribution: $53,175

Dell Optiplex Workstation with XP and Office 2003 10Cisco Wireless Access Point for Bridging 5Cisco 12dBi Omnidirectional Antenna 5LMR-400 Microwave Cable 500’Network and Router Support (2 years) 1Desktop Support and Maintenance (2 years) 1

4. A description of the consultations with the appropriate telecommunications carriers and the anticipated role of such providers in the proposed telecommunications system.

For the Jeddito community to communicate with the internet the 250’ self-supporting

tower will need to be erected. The self-supporting type of tower is required due to space limitations at the site and a guyed tower will occupy too much real-estate. For communications to occur, a Northern Telecom 8DS1 radio will be installed in the 10’ by 10’ corrugated steel structure at the bottom of the tower. This radio will communicate with a similar radio located 24miles away at a mountain known as “Little Black Spot.” This remote site is owned and operated by Frontier Communications which have come to an agreement with us regarding leasing tower space and the provision of T-1 services to our internet point-of-presence in Whitecone, AZ.

For power outages, a solar generation and battery backup system will be installed. This system is substantially less costly to operate than a diesel generator and will be able to supply power to the radio system should grid power be lost. This solar system is preferable to diesel in


21

long term costs as diesel generators cost in excess of $5.50 per hour to operate and diesel creates environmental pollutants whereas solar does not. The solar cells installed on the roof of the structure charge the batteries in approximately 2 weeks. Once the battery cells are charged, they will run the system for over 4 days with no re-charging. This system also reduces monthly maintenance trips to monitor diesel levels. The Rolls batteries being used have a 7 year warranty and therefore have very limited monthly operating costs.

The telecommunication system installed will provide internet services via wireless unlicensed internet to the surrounding community. Wireless is the delivery method of choice as many homes in the area are lacking phone lines and therefore cannot receive internet access in any other manner. The wireless community broadcast system will rely on the 802.11g/b/a standards. The radio of choice for us is the Cisco 1200 Access Point. This allows the higher speeds of 54Mbps with the 802.11g standard with the addition of the older 802.11b standards for 11Mbps communication.

Community Connect Broadband Grant Program Financial Information and Sustainability, FY 2004

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G. Financial Information and Sustainability

The Cedar Unified School District presently has the financial support and expertise to sustain the project beyond the life of the grant. The district has sufficient financial resources and the experience necessary to undertake, complete, and provide continued support for the project. The following paragraphs summarize the names and experience of the executive management for the Cedar Unified School District. The district is governed by a five-member Governing Board, who are elected at large from the District for four year terms. The present members of the Governing Board are Ladybird Jack, President; Gary Bitsoie, Clerk; Karen Charley, Member; Lee Jack, Member; Danny Sage, Member. The school has both a Superintendent and Business Manager who administer and manage the overall operations of the district.

Mr. Gary Hicks has served the District’s Superintendent since July 1, 2003. He holds a Masters Degree in School Administration. His experience in public school central office operations spans approximately 39 years. Of those years, he has served successfully for thirty years as superintendent and business manager in small to medium sized school districts including mulit-cultural student populations in border communities with Mexico and on the Navajo Indian Reservation. During his career, Mr. Hicks has managed bond-funded construction programs, managed federal and state grants, and Impact Aid fund capital improvement programs on both military bases and Indian land schools. Currently, Mr. Hicks is serving as President of the Rural Schools of Northern Arizona Employee Benefits Trust and has received awards in financial operations from the Arizona Association of School Business Officials, International Association of School Business Officials, and Government Finance Officers Association.

Ms. Sandra Jumper has served as Business Manager for Cedar Unified School District since July 2003. She has been Business Manager for 17 years for two different school districts on the Navajo Indian Reservation. She has been very involved in managing federal and state grant programs, the Impact Aid program, and in bond funded building programs. Ms. Jumper’s experience on the reservation, and in the school business environment, is extensive. Her total years of experience in school finance are equal to roughly 30 years. She has worked in all areas of the business office, and was Chief Deputy of the Apache County School Superintendent’s office for six years.

The CUSD overspent its budgets or budget limits in fiscal years 2001/02 and 2002/03. The State Department of Education required the District to reduce its budget limit, and reduced the District’s State Aid, by $537,525 in fiscal year 2003/04 for overspending its budgets or budget limits in previous years. The District has requested the Department of Education to adjust the amount of reduction, and if approved, the adjusted reduction would be $242,936. The fiscal year 2003/04 budget and State Aid reductions complete the required reductions, and thus there is no expected budget or State Aid reduction for fiscal year 2004/05 or in future years.

Average daily membership is used for State funding calculations, and impact aid membership is used for calculations for funding under the program. The District expects both measures of membership to grow after the District completes construction of a high school for students of the District with proceeds of the sale of Bonds. The high school is expected to open in 2005. Currently, students in the District who would otherwise attend another high school are either “tuitioned” out to high schools in other districts or attend other high schools in other districts through open enrollment (see financial statements).

Community Connect Broadband Grant Program A Statement of Experience, FY 2004

23

H. A Statement of Experience

The Cedar Unified School district has a full time network administrator who currently administers and manages a Microsoft network using Win 2K for over 300 computers. The district subcontracts the overall management and use of a VSAT satellite for internet access to the Arizona Public Schools Computer Consortium. The district will subcontract the construction of the tower out to APSCC and the networking support for the two years of the grant.

APSCC installed its first 300 baud modem bank in its Honeywell system in 1984 and for the past 20 years has been increasing speeds and service for networking and computing services in schools and communities throughout the State of Arizona. They have extensive experience providing high-speed connectivity with Qwest, Sprint, Frontier Communications, Navajo Communications, MCI and several ILECs in Arizona. APSCC has extensive experience with remote support and monitoring of networks, therefore minimizing downtime. With the remote monitoring systems APSCC utilizes, they can dispatch technical support personnel at a moments’ notice when potential problems arise. APSCC has been providing communications support and services to the Navajo Nation since 1984 and knows the environment, terrain and lifestyle of the Navajo People. Moreover, APSCC has relationships with Cisco, HP, Microsoft, DEC, Honeywell, BULL, and Veritas to provide additional support and services to its clients. Trevor Williams will be the lead engineer for the project and his resume follows.

Community Connect Broadband Grant Program Evidence of Legal Authority and Existence, FY 2004

24

I. Evidence of Legal Authority and Existence General powers and duties assigned to the school district via the State of Arizona is the authority to own and operate the broadband facilities as proposed in this application (see Arizona State Legislature, General Powers and duties located at the following website: http://www.azleg.state.az.us/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/ars/15/00341.htm, and to enter into contracts and to otherwise comply with applicable federal statutes and regulations so long as they both promote the best interests of the school district (see Arizona Administrative Code, AZ Secretary of State, Contract Types at the following website: http://www.sosaz.com/public_services/Title_07/7-02.htm) (Statutes documents follow).

http://www.azleg.state.az.us/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/ars/15/00341.htm

http://www.sosaz.com/public_services/Title_07/7-02.htm

Community Connect Broadband Grant Program Funding Commitments for Other Sources, FY 2004

25

J. Funding Commitments from Other Sources The Cedar Unified School District is fully committed to paying all the proposed matching contributions as stated in this proposal (Minimum match @ 15% of total cost of $354,500 is $53,175).

School's Portion Budget Description Part Number Qty

Dell Optiplex Workstation with XP and Office 2003 DOPXP03 10 $16,000.00 Cisco Wireless Access Point for Bridging AIR-AP1200 5 $3,500.00 Cisco 12dBi Omnidirectional Antenna AIR-AP12OM 5 $2,500.00 LMR-400 Microwave Cable LMR400 500' $1,250.00 Network and Router Support (2 years) APSCCNET 1 $18,000.00 Desktop Support and Maintenance (2 years) DESKSUPP 1 $11,925.00

School's 15% Portion (due upon award of grant) $53,175.00 The parent involvement coordinator position and training responsibilities for the parent involvement community center are already taken into account for the CUSD Year 2004 budget. A letter of commitment follows:

Community Connect Broadband Grant Program Compliance with Other Federal Statutes and Regulations, FY 2004

26

K. Compliance with Other Federal Statutes and Regulations The applicant is required to submit evidence that it is in compliance with other Federal statutes and regulations as follows:

♦ E.O. 11246, Equal Employment Opportunity, as amended by E.O. 11375 and as supplemented by regulations contained in 41 CFR part 60, Attachment 3;

♦ Architectural barriers, Attachment 4; ♦ Flood hazard area precautions, Attachment 5; ♦ Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970, Attachment 6; ♦ Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1998 (41 U.S.C. 701), Attachment 7; ♦ E.O.s 12549 and 12689, Debarment and Suspension; (See 7 CFR 3017.510),

Attachment 8; ♦ Byrd Anti-Lobbying Amendment (31 U.S.C. 1352), Attachment 9;

If the applicant is engaged in lobbying activities, the applicant must submit a completed disclosure form, “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities” (See 7 CFR Part 3018)”; and

♦ Non Duplication of Services Certificate, Attachment 10; ♦ Federal Obligations Certification on Delinquent Debt, Attachment 11; and ♦ Environmental Impact Report, in accordance with 7 CFR 1794, Attachment 12 (see further

information below).

Environmental Impact and Historic Preservation: Details of the project’s impact on the environment and historic preservation must be provided. The application must contain a separate section entitled “Environmental Impact of the Project.”

An “Environmental Questionnaire/Certification” may be used by applicants to assist in complying with the requirements of this section. Attachment 12.

For a proposed project that only involves internal modifications or equipment additions to buildings or other structures, the environmental information normally required includes a description of the internal modifications or equipment additions, the size of the site in hectares, and the general nature of the proposed use of the facilities once the project is completed, including any hazardous materials to be used, created or discharged, any substantial amount of air emissions, wastewater discharge, or solid waste that will be generated.

Community Connect Broadband Grant Program Environmental Impact Questionaire, FY 2004

27

QUESTIONNAIRE Legal Name of Applicant: Cedar Unified School District #25 Signature (Type, sign, & date) GARY HICKS, ___________ , September 10,2004 The applicant’s representative certifies to the best of his/her knowledge and belief that the information contained herein is accurate. Any false information may result in disqualification for consideration of financial assistance or the rescission of financial assistance. I. Project Description - Detailing construction, including, but not limited to internal

modifications of existing structures, and/or installation of telecommunications transmission facilities including satellite uplinks or downlinks, microwave transmission towers, and cabling. 1. Describe the portion of the project, and site locations (including legal ownership of real property), involving internal modifications, or equipment additions to buildings or other structures (e.g., relocating interior walls or adding computer facilities) for each site. A 250’ self-supporting tower will be erected near the southwest border of the school property (~35º46’17”N, 110º08’18”W). A 10’ by 10’ corrugated steel structure will be added to the premises for housing radio communication equipment. This structure will be located near the bottom of the tower. This structure will contain the DS1 radio indoor unit, as well as the Cisco 1200 indoor unit and the power supply unit. On the roof of this unit will be mounted 3 170Watt solar panels to charge the batteries that supply power for when the power is offline from the power company. Computer facilities, radios and antenna will be added to the already existing computers in the parent involvement/community center, the Jeddito Chapter House (two Head Start Centers and a Senior Citizen Center), and the IHS Dental Health Office.

2. Describe the portion of the project, and site locations (including legal ownership or real property), involving construction of transmission facilities, including cabling, microwave towers, satellite dishes, or disturbance of property of .99 acres or greater for each project site. A 250’ self-supporting tower will be erected near the southwest border of the school property (~35º46’17”N, 110º08’18”W). A 10’ by 10’ corrugated steel structure will be added to the premises for housing radio communication equipment. This tower will occupy approximately 1700 square feet of surface area, including the additional structure. Land Status: Tribal Trust (The site is leased by Cedar USD and permission has been granted for the construction of these facilities). Chapter: Jeddito Location: Unplatted and projected T24N, R21E, Keams Canyon Quad, Arizona 3. Describe the nature of the proposed use of the facilities and whether any hazardous materials, air emissions, wastewater discharge, or solid waste will result.


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The tower will transmit radio signals only in both the 2.4GHz and 15-38GHz frequency bands. Due to the use of the solar standby power, no fuels will be kept on site. 4. State whether or not any project site(s) contain or are near properties listed or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, and identify any historic properties. (The applicant must supply evidence that the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) has cleared development regarding any historical properties). Sites AZ-)-10-73 thru 78 were identified on the Jeddito Public School Campus, in Jeddito. All sites will be avoided due to the project location of the tower construction. In the event of discovery, “discovery” means any previously unidentified or incorrectly identified cultural resources including but not limited to archaeological deposits, human remains, or locations reportedly associated with Native American religious/traditional beliefs or practices, all operations in the immediate vicinity of the discovery will cease and the Navajo Nation Preservation Department will be notified at 928/871-7145. 5. Provide information whether or not any facility(ies) or site(s) are located in a 100-year floodplain. A National Flood Insurance Map should be included reflecting the location of the project site(s). The construction of the tower and shed is located on the side of a hill, approximately .89 miles horizontally and 214 feet vertically from the nearest wash. FEMA has no flood plain map information for this area since it is located on the Navajo Indian Reservation and the flood plain maps stop at the Indian nation border and do not include this area.

II. For projects that involve construction of transmission facilities, including cabling, microwave towers, satellite dishes, or physical disturbance of real property of .99 acres or greater, the following information must be submitted.

1. A map (preferably a U.S. Geological Survey map) of the area for each site affected by construction (include as an attachment). See attached USGS map. 2. A description of the amount of property to be cleared, excavated, fenced, or otherwise disturbed by the project and a description of the current land use and zoning and any vegetation for each project site affected by construction. The tower will involve the excavation of three hole 120º apart approximately 3 feet in diameter at the surface and seven feet in diameter at the base with an overall depth of 15 feet. Each hole will be located 13 feet from the center of the tower. A six inch cement slab will be poured at the base of the tower. The vegetation at the proposed location of the tower consists of desert grasses and weedy plants located in a in a highly disturbed area.


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3. A description of buildings or other structures (i.e., transmission facilities), including dimensions, to be constructed or modified. A 10’x10’x8’ corrugated steel box will be installed near the base of the tower on the concrete slab mentioned above. 4. A description of the presence of wetlands or existing agricultural operations and/or threatened or endangered species or critical habitats on or near the project site(s) affected by construction. No wetlands or agricultural areas exist within a ½ mile radius of the tower. No endangered species or critical habits are on or within ½ mile radius of the tower. Therefore, we anticipate no negative environmental impact of this tower on the surrounding. 5. Describe any actions taken to mitigate any environmental impacts resulting from the proposed project (use attachment if necessary). We anticipate will avoid all adverse effects to environment as a result of project construction.

Community Connect Broadband Grant Program Supplemental Information, FY 2004

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L. Supplemental Information Proposal References

Letters of Community Support

CUSD Technology Plan

Community Connect Broadband Grant Program Proposal References, FY 2004

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REFERENCES 2003 Bennett, Matthew D. A Broadband World: The Promise of Advanced Services. The Alliance for

Public Technology and The Benton Foundation, Washington D.C.

2000 Blahut, Patrick and Jeff Hagen editors. Dental Services for American Indians and Alaska Natives 1990 – 2000. Indian Health Servies, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Rockville, MD.

1994 Brugge, David M. The Navajo Hopi Land Dispute: An American Tradegy. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

1999 Casey, James, Randy Ross, and Marcia Warren, edited by Jean Smith. Native Networking: Telecommunications and Information Technology in Indian Country. Benton Foundation, Washington D.C.

2003 Dempsey, Pamela. Jeddito Wells, springs, windmills drying up, in The Independent, July 24, 2003.

2003 Dempsey, Pamela. Jeddito false alarm spurs water conservation, in The Independent, August 22, 2003.

2000 Farson, Richard. A Proposal for the Center for Distance Education 2000. Western Behavioral Sciences Institute, La Jolla, CA.

2000 Highlights from the Census 2000 Demographic Profiles, American Fact Finder: Jeddito, Arizona, U. S. Census Bureau, United States Government. Website: http://factfinder.census.gov/

2004 Jeddito Public School, Arizona School Report Card 2003-2004. Cedar Unified School District, submitted to the Arizona Department of Education. Website: http://www.ade.az.gov/srcs/ReportCards/56382004.pdf

2003 Local Education Agency, Strategic Long Range Technology Plan, Cedar Unified School District, Jeddito, Arizona.

2001 About NIEA. National Indian Education Association, Alexandra, VA. Website: http://www.niea.org/

2002 McRel. McREL Technology Solutions: Connecting Teachers with Technology. Mid Continent Research for Education and Learning. Website: http://www.relnetwork.org/2002ar/06-MCREL.html

1995 Office of Technology Assessment. Telecommunications, Technology, and Native Americans, Opportunities and Challenges, Office of Technology Assessment, Congress of the United States, Washington D.C.

1999 Swisher, K. and J. Tippeconic Eds., Next steps: Research and practice to advance Indian education, United States Department of Education, Washington D.C.

2002 The Nation’s Report Card. National Assessment of Educational Progress. National Center for Education Statistics, Washington D.C.

2001 Pai, Young and Susan A. Adler. Cultural Foundations of Education. Third Edition. Prentice-Hall, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.

http://factfinder.census.gov/

http://www.ade.az.gov/srcs/ReportCards/56382004.pdf

http://www.niea.org/

http://www.relnetwork.org/2002ar/06-MCREL.html

http://www.relnetwork.org/2002ar/06-MCREL.html

Documents

RURAL UTILITIES SERVICE - Northern Arizona University