The Partnership for Inclusive Innovation recently announced that the cities of Woodbury and Concord, along with Pike and Spalding Counties, were selected to participate in its 2021 Georgia Smart Communities Challenge, which allows localities across the state to apply for research assistance that empowers them to envision, explore and plan for a “smart” future.

As Georgia Smart Communities, the cohort will work with researchers from Georgia Tech’s College of Computing to expand and enhance connectivity and explore additional applications that will improve their services, efficiencies and cost savings.

“What’s really exciting is that this year’s cohort includes small communities that are often left out of large-scale solutions,” said GMA Executive Director Larry Hanson in the announcement of this year’s participating cities. “It is important that our smaller communities be given these types of opportunities, and I commend Georgia Smart for making the effort to reach out and include them.”

The community connectivity focus for this cohort aims to link them with the resources they need to pilot relevant smart solutions within the two-year Georgia Smart program.

“Communities experiencing gaps in connectivity across the state of Georgia have sought creative solutions to bridge them, and still more communities are seeking answers about how to get connected,” said Debra Lam, PIN’s executive director. “This cohort has taken steps toward being innovative in a collaborative way.”

Woodbury

Woodbury has employed an innovative Wireless Internet Service Provider (WISP) network as a publicly owned utility, serving 50 community members. Georgia Tech researchers will assist in the enhancement and expansion of the WISP network by exploring measurement-driven dashboards for evaluating the end-user experience. They will also explore connectivity needs for the proposed Meriwether County AgTech Center for Innovation (MACI).

“Meeting the needs of our ever-changing world requires diversity in thought and a willingness to move boldly into the future,” said Woodbury Mayor Steve Ledbetter. “Our goal is to push beyond the possible and be a part of leading our community and our state into the future.”

Concord

With a network similar to Woodbury’s, city representatives and Georgia Tech researchers will work together to advance connectivity in the city through further testing, evaluation and community engagement. Tech researchers will also help Concord explore connectivity applications such as having water sensors available in public facilities for operational efficiency and potential cost savings.

“The pandemic underscores just how critical connectivity can be for a community’s economic well-being,” said Concord Mayor John Strickland. “COVID-19 made it clear that the internet is necessary for education, healthcare, and business, as well as access to important real-time information. Working together, small cities and counties can provide solutions that will serve more people at a lower cost.”