Digital equity update: county reports device distributions and public Wi‑Fi pilots in Waukegan and North Chicago

Lake County’s Digital Growth Initiative team presented a broadband and digital‑equity update to the Technology Committee on April 3, detailing public Wi‑Fi planning with the City of Waukegan, an intergovernmental agreement in process with North Chicago, and device and digital‑skills outreach across the county.

Kate Crandall, Digital Equity Manager, said the county is coordinating equipment orders, an implementation timeline and community outreach with Waukegan’s communications team and aligning the Wi‑Fi rollout with sidewalk and redevelopment work. Kim Lundt, digital equity coordinator, reported a recent Northstar event where 41 laptops were distributed to participants who completed learning modules and proctored assessments; staff plan a two‑day June device distribution event and additional community partner pilots, including Fox Lake District Library.

Crandall and Lundt showed program metrics through February 2026: 343 residents served in 324 sessions during February; staff distributed 95 devices that month and have distributed over 1,200 devices cumulatively since January 2025. Members praised the work and requested ongoing outreach information and a future overview of core county software systems.

No formal action was required; staff invited committee members to the next Digital Equity Coalition meeting and to share outreach resources with partners.