Westport Island selectmen Monday night agreed to sign a letter supporting an effort to expand broadband access in town. About 195 homes do not have access, Ralph Jacobs of the broadband and cable TV committee said.

He said the committee is pursuing a ConnectME Authority grant with Spectrum. Still to determine are how much to seek and how much the town and Spectrum might each need to kick in toward a project, Jacobs said in response to board questions. He said the committee has not discarded the idea of a town-owned fiber system instead, “but it’s definitely a heavier lift, both in terms of cost and responsibility for operating it.”

ConnectME requires the letter; and the committee will return to selectmen with the grant application for their approval, he said. A draft of the letter stated in part, “As in most of rural Maine, our residents increasingly rely on broadband access for communication, education, working from home, commerce, medical services and almost every aspect of modern life. (In the) pandemic, the impact of broadband service shortfalls on the island has been most acutely felt in the areas of education and healthcare.”

Selectmen unanimously approved the letter and said the committee can have on westportisland.us and the town’s Facebook page a request for letters of support from residents. “(At ConnectME) they like to see that the people who would be served by this actually really want it,” Jacobs said. The planned post asks for short letters by Feb. 12, via mail at Westport Island Town Office, 6 Fowles Point Road, Westport, ME 04578, Attn: Broadband and Cable Committee; or email to westportbroadband@gmail.com. Letters should include name, address, “Subject: Support for Westport Island's Broadband Expansion Project” and why the writer supports the effort.

Also in Monday’s UberConference call, officials said resident Richard DeVries is asking Gov. Janet Mills if Westport Island can host COVID-19 vaccinations.

DeVries’ Jan. 15 email to selectmen suggests a socially distant setup at the fire station, an ambulance in case of any severe allergic reactions, and local or other towns’ nurses and emergency medical technicians to give the shots. The fire department and health officer have yet to be approached on the idea, officials noted.