Free Laptops Initiative Gets Alton City Council Approval

Alton City Council Meeting

ALTON - The Alton City Council on Wednesday voted unanimously to provide 350 free laptops to “low-income, unconnected” households within the City of Alton.

The city will provide $68,250 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to Alton Forward, the nonprofit arm of AltonWorks, to purchase the 350 laptops. While exact details are still unknown, they will reportedly be distributed on a “first-come, first-serve basis,” according to the resolution.

Earlier this week, Alton Forward President Mark Carlie asked for the Committee of the Whole’s vote in favor, adding these devices provide opportunities for residents to join the “digital economy.”

“[This resolution] gives us the chance to create a fair and equitable process for distributing 350 laptops to those in need so they can participate in the digital economy,” Carlie said.

The resolution does include certain guidelines establishing the criteria for eligibility, as well as certain rules the applicants must agree to. These are the result of several amendments made to the resolution, which are as follows.

Under the approved resolution, eligible candidates must:

1. Reside at an address within the City of Alton
2. Affirm financial need based upon federal income guidelines or be a foster child under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court;
3. Agree not to sell or give away the computer within three years of the computer acquisition

Other guidelines include the following:

1. Alton Forward will provide access to training to the approved applicant(s) to enable the student and family to utilize it for the intended purpose of gaining equitable access to digital resources.
2. Laptops will be distributed on a first come first served basis.
3. The student's guardian will sign a receipt evidencing transfer of the laptop to the approved applicant.

For more details on the resolution and previous discussion from trustees on the item, see this related story on Riverbender.com.

With no further discussion, the City Council voted unanimously to approve the resolution and provide Alton Forward with the ARPA funding.

A full recording of the Oct. 9, 2024 Alton Committee of the Whole meeting is available at the top of this story or on Riverbender.com/video.

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