Blogs > Troy Talk

Record staffers bring you information on the comings and goings of New York's Collar City.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Google Fiber decision delayed

It looks like Troy is still in the running for Google Fiber, along with nearly 1,100 other communities. Google announced on its blog last week that they are delaying the decision of what city or town will be chosen to receive ultra-high speed internet, ultra high-speed meaning 100 times faster what most people have access to today.

From the blog:

We had planned to announce our selected community or communities by the end of this year, but the level of interest was incredible—nearly 1,100 communities across the country responded to our announcement—and exceeded our expectations. While we’re moving ahead full steam on this project, we’re not quite ready to make that announcement.


Google said that it is not reopening the submission process, but would rather take the time to "get it right." Earlier this year, Trojans gathered at Monument Square for a Troygle event and to film the submission video for Google Fiber. Other municipalities across the country made headlines for various stunts to get Google's attention -- Topeka, Kansas even changed its name too "Google" for a day. (Google later repaid the favor by changing their homepage to "Topeka" for April Fool's Day.)

Google plans to build and test the ultra high-speed internet networks in a small number of trial locations across the country, delivering 1GB per second speed at a "competitive price" to between 50,000 and 500,000 people.

In May, Troy was in sixth place nationally in the Unofficial Google Fiber poll. An announcement on Google's decision is expected in early 2011.

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Monday, December 13, 2010

LIVE BLOG: Budget Veto Override Meeting

Friday, December 10, 2010

Video: Full interview with Mayor Tutunjian

Yesterday we posted a story about the continuing budget battle between the administration and the Council Majority, including a video interview with Mayor Harry Tutunjian. Below is a complete version of that interview -- clocking in at nearly 17 minutes -- in which the Mayor discusses not only the budget veto, but the role of the State Comptroller's Office in the budget process, improving communication with the Council Majority and his thoughts on what a veto override could mean for the city.

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Thursday, December 2, 2010

Washington Park grant application resolution

As reported yesterday in The Record, Councilman Ken Zalewski, D-District 5, will be adding a resolution to tomorrow night's agenda for the final regular City Council meeting of the year. The resolution is in support of the Friends of Washington Park, who are applying for a $5,000 Hudson River Valley Quadricentennial Legacy grant.

According to the resolution, the grant will be used for signage and a traveling exhibit narrating the 1860 Troy rescue of a slave named Charles Nalle. Many of the homes in the Washington Park area were part of the Underground Railroad.

The resolution also says that the Friends will partner with the Underground Railroad Workshop, the Rensselaer County Historical Society and the Hudson Mohawk Industrial Gateway to secure matching funds, allowing the project to take place at no cost to the city. The project is being spearheaded by Washington Park Neighborhood Association President Lynn Kopka.

"I wholeheartedly support this project, and appreciate the efforts that Lynn has put into improving her neighborhood and the city as a whole," said Zalewski in an e-mail Wednesday.

For more information, the entire resolution is embedded below, or can be viewed here.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

LIVE BLOG: Troy Budget Hearing

Check back at 7 p.m. for live coverage of tonight's City Council meeting on the approval of the proposed 2011 budget.

Tutunjian talks budget on Facebook

Mayor Harry Tutunjian has posted a video on the (now infamous) "Troy, NY" Facebook page, discussing his thoughts on the proposed 2011 budget, the Council's changes and the process up to this point (including the meeting yesterday that was an "absolute waste of time").

In the video, Tutunjian repeats much of the same arguments he has made over the past week, saying again that he won't approve a budget with the Council's changes.

Check out the video here.


What do you think will happen at tonight's meeting? How do you feel about the Mayor using Facebook to address people directly? Post your thoughts in the comments!

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