Mark Ryckman, who represents ICMA on the First Net Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC), reports that the FirstNet Board took two important actions in September:

1. The board issued an RFI to collect input concerning the establishment of objectives and approaches to building the nationwide broadband network. There is a 30-day comment period that expires October 17, 2014. This input will be used to develop an RFP to solicit a partner(s) to build-out the network.  Now is the time to offer feedback.
2. The board also issued “Proposed Interpretations of Parts of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012” (The Act) with a 30-day comment period. These interpretations will clarify several definitions, such as “Rural Coverage” and “Public Safety Entities, Secondary Users, and Other Users.” FirstNet’s chief legal counsel has reviewed these issues with the PSAC, proposing to use the Rural Electrification Act Definition of “Rural,” for example. The current preference is to have maximum latitude in these interpretations to allow FirstNet flexibility in designing and operating the network.  One of the most important issues to ICMA members is the definition of “Rural.” There are coverage requirements for rural areas set forth by Congress, but the Act did not define “Rural.”