SCN: Re: SnoNet to Suspending Operations

[Doug Schuler]

FYI,

SnoNet (in Snohomish county) folding its tents...

-- Doug

   ******************************************************************
   *     SHAPING THE NETWORK SOCIETY                                *
   *          Patterns for Participation,Action, and Change         *
   *                  http://www.cpsr.org/conferences/diac02        *
   * Tomorrow's information and communication infrastructure        *
   *   is being shaped today.                                       *
   *                              But by whom and to what ends?     *
   ******************************************************************


On Mon, 7 Jan 2002, Tom Campbell wrote:

> 
> Friends,
> 
> I am pasting in a press release that went out just after New Years.  I am
> very saddened to report that SnoNet is going to suspend operations pending
> any new deals that might come our way.  But I am not hopeful.  We just
> couldn't sustain our multi-faceted business on fee for services.  Our burn
> rate was too high.  We had staked our future on becoming a communication hub
> for a variety of service agencies including education and workforce
> training.  Unfortunately, the political winds shifted and the County
> Executive decided to separate three agencies that had been integrated with
> SnoNet.  This was after two years of working closely together to develop new
> applications in the workforce and education field.
> 
> Part of this was personal for me, we had an unexpected third child in our
> family, and I decided that I didn't want to work the 60 hours a week that it
> would take to reinvigorate the agency. I'm mostly at home helping to take
> care of our three boys, assisting my wife with an innovative school called
> The Clearwater School that we've started, working part-time and consulting,
> winding down SnoNet and a three county IT Skills Gap grant.
> 
> There are lots of lessons to be learned in all of this, and I'd be happy to
> share them with anyone at the appropriate time.  I believe strongly in the
> community networking model and the potential for developing applications
> that are of great benefit to the community.  I plan to stay in touch and
> keep working with AFCN.
> 
> Sincerely,  Tom Campbell
> 
> For Immediate Release
> 
> January 3, 2002
> 
> SnoNet to Suspend Operations
> 
> The Board of Directors of SnoNet, a non-profit Internet company since 1994,
> have decided to suspend operations effective January 31th, 2002.
> 
> A combination of factors led to the decision: declining revenues in its
> Internet services; difficulty in financing new and unique products; and the
> overall climate for funding Internet and non-profit agencies.
> 
> SnoNet has been a leader in the field of community networking.  The agency
> was created as a result of the Snohomish County Economic Investment Plan
> becoming a central part of a countywide effort to spur investment, job
> creation, and innovation.  SnoNet began before the Internet became widely
> used and filled an important niche to spur schools, local governments,
> libraries, and non-profit agencies to use technology to extend services and
> improve productivity.
> 
> In announcing the decision, Board Co-Chair Larry Hanson stated, "SnoNet has
> accomplished much of what it was originally created to provide to our
> community.  In recent months our board also saw that its mission was no
> longer as unique as in the past and many of its services are now widely
> available commercially and in the community."
> 
> “SnoNet was instrumental in assisting schools, especially smaller districts
> in identifying the value of technology to promote learning” said Wayne
> Robertson, Superintendent of the Edmonds School District.  SnoNet worked
> closely with a number of districts to fund and develop innovative projects
> for distance learning.
> 
> Among the achievements of SnoNet are:
> 
> q	Creation of a widely used portal web site including community calendar and
> access to many non-profit services.
> 
> q	Development of SnoVote web site and partnership to bring election
> resources to the Internet.
> 
> q	Provision of free and reduced web site hosting for non-profits and
> associations.
> 
> q	Development of MATCHES, a web-based system of connecting employers,
> students, and volunteers.
> 
> q	Formation of the Technology Services Cooperative, a member-based service
> to help non-profits access technology.
> 
> q	Use of technology to promote civic engagement in a number of projects from
> Healthy Communities, ASCENT 21, and community issues forum.
> 
> q	Establishment of the Teens4Teens web site, a program for local teens to
> develop web-based content on issues that concerns them.
> 
> q	Launch of many workforce and education services in the community including
> the Snohomish County Workforce Development Council, SchoolWork Initiative,
> and WorkSource.
> 
> “We hate to lose a valuable community resource such as SnoNet.  My hope is
> that we can find new funding and relaunch SnoNet when we have a favorable
> climate and focus for its services,” said Bob Drewel County Executive and
> Co-Chair of SnoNet.  SnoNet will cease operations January 31st, it has a
> transition plan for its customers and clients to ensure continuity of
> services.
> 
> “I am extremely proud of what SnoNet has accomplished,” said Tom Campbell,
> President of SnoNet.  Many around the country looked to SnoNet for a model
> of sustainability.  “We outlasted many of the dot-com businesses, because we
> had a community focus.  We had hoped to scale a number of products into a
> broader market place, but we simply ran out of gas in a major climate of
> belt-tightening.”
> 
> For further information, please contact Tom Campbell @ tomc at snonet.org or
> 425.921.3474 work; 206.817.2773 cell; or 206.364.9711 home.
> 
> Tom Campbell
> President/CEO
> SnoNet: www.snonet.org
> ph:425.921.3474; Fx:425.921.3484
> 
> Please Continue to Use tomc at snonet.org When Replying to This Email
> 
> 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *  From the Listowner  * * * * * * * * * * * *
.	To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to:
majordomo at scn.org		In the body of the message, type:
unsubscribe scn
==== Messages posted on this list are also available on the web at: ====
* * * * * * *     http://www.scn.org/volunteers/scn-l/     * * * * * * *