Mason City council to once again consider proposal to provide free wireless internet downtown, deploy technology to improve public safety

MASON CITY — The City Council in Mason City tonight will reconsider a proposal that would provide free public wireless internet access in the downtown area while at the same time would deploy technology downtown to improve public safety.

The “SAFEcity Solution” utilizes a system that includes gunshot detection, license plate readers, video cameras as well as a wireless guardian that sees devices that emit radio waves for communications. The cost of implementing the “SAFEcity Solution” would be offset by the free wifi “SMARTcity Solution”, which would generate an estimated $500,000 annually in advertising revenue to the city.

Police Chief Jeff Brinkley and City Administrator Aaron Burnett have been working on the proposal for about six months and presented it to the council for their consideration at their May 3rd meeting, but some on the council expressed concerns since they had just found out the details of the proposal a few days earlier.

The council meets at 7 o’clock tonight in the Mason City Room of the Public Library.