Baltimore City Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake has announced the hiring of Jason Hardebeck to be the city’s first broadband coordinator. Hardebeck is a veteran technology executive.

According to the Baltimore Sun,

Hardebeck, who will be paid $44,000 as a contractor, will lead an effort with community members and businesses to implement a widespread broadband plan for Baltimore.

“The city has a fiber-optic network, and we’re looking at how to extend that,” he said. “We’re going to develop a strategy to more effectively provide municipal broadband.”

In announcing Hardebeck’s hiring, the mayor said “a robust broadband infrastructure is absolutely vital to our city.”

Hiring a broadband coordinator was one recommendation made in Baltimore’s Smarter City Task Force Report.

To read more about Hardebeck, please visit the Baltimore Sun online.