Matt Cole is one of 144 Southport residents who signed a petition to seek a revote on the town’s $2.1 million broadband expansion project. In a letter to selectmen, Cole explained why he did, and encouraged selectmen to delay further construction until certain financial information was disclosed.

“I’m not opposed to the project,” he wrote. “I signed it because I believe ... evidence of sufficient subscriber support is necessary. I suggest a pause in construction while a concerted effort is determined to see if signups are in a sufficient number to move forward.”

Selectmen read the letter during their April 20 board meeting. Selectmen planned on reading the letter during the broadband public hearing which began at 6 p.m. in the town hall. The two-hour hearing provided information from Axiom Technologies President Mark Ouellette, who explained the project’s financing and scope. Ouellette reported April 20 during the selectmen’s meeting Southport would likely know by April 27 whether it received a ConnectME grant which may total $400,000. During the hearing, Krista Thorpe of Island Institute discussed the grant process and answered questions on broadband expansion in Midcoast Maine.

In other action, town officials received a Maine Municipal Association letter on their annual property and casualty insurance renewal. The letter proposed municipal leaders implement more stringent security measures to prevent cyber theft. For members participating in the cyber assessment pool, MMA recommends implementing a written acceptable use policy for any person accessing town computer systems, requiring computer backups tests twice per year, strengthening passwords by requiring a minimum of 12 characters using a combination of alpha, numeric and special characters, providing annual employee training for data and privacy security issues, requiring all critical updates and patches be completed within 60 days, and locking down computer screens before moving away from devices or computers with a timed lockout.