A 10-member Board of Directors was established to guide the project, including determining the type of data to be entered, its screen format, accessibility levels, procedures for entering and retrieving data, and maintenance. Several local individuals and businesses, including a car dealer, a bank, and the local exchange carrier provided this initial financial support and became sponsors. The system was up and running by September of 1994. The Worth County administration building houses the host computer, which is connected to the telephone system in the City and County. Public access to the free-net can be obtained from library and school locations around the city.
Local volunteers staff the help desk.
Many users have employed the Free-Net in a learning mode. Once they become comfortable with the Free-Net, they eventually sign on with a commercial Internet Service Provider. The system has been put to use by only a few of the local businesses and, more disappointingly, few community members have become active contributors. On the other hand, it has received the support of local schools and has brought the community a good bit attention from state policy makers and the media, including an article in Newsweek.