The importance of providing relevant content was echoed by Judith Ream of NorthStar Net. She emphasized that technical issues are not the obstacles encountered by the northwest Chicago suburbs comprising her community network. Optimizing Web page design and content to produce a viable community site requires careful collaboration, consideration, and skill. Armed with examples of communities that have successfully answered the question of content, George Koron, Hewlett-Packard's business development manager for state and local government, explored the critical nature of bringing communities online. In his presentation, Koron warned that the tremors of welfare reform threaten to widen the gap in technical expertise.
Technical training is expensive.
Community networks have a unique capacity to provide training to those who would otherwise find it financially inaccessible, bringing people without many other resources into the fold of the information age. The Principle of Partnering Koron underscored the importance of partnering with industry, maintaining that network organizers need not rely on corporate altruism to engage the commercial sector. The business case for commercial support of community networks is compelling. Koron emphasized that the self-serving nature of industrial support of community networks should be seen as a healthy symbiosis. An example of healthy reciprocity within Illinois was described by Guy Cahill director of budget and operations, Pekin School District, as he outlined the creation of Pekin's Global Connection 2000.