HADLEY, Mass. (WWLP) - The Town of Hadley Digital Equity Steering Committee (DESC) is holding public hearing on the town's municipal digital equity plan, which aims to help close the divide between age groups and get everyone more comfortable being online. The public hearing will take place on January 7 at the Hadley Senior Center. An open house will begin at 3:00 p.m. and the hearing will begin at 6:30 p.m. The committee is collaborating with consultants from Kimley-Horn to draft a plan to accommodate the older and more vulnerable populations with reliable and affordable digital services. Springfield Fire Dept. mechanic retires after 38 years Hadley will join 104 other communities in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts that have drafted a municipal digital equity plan, which, according to the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, focuses on "equitable access to digital devices, equitable access to the internet, and digital literacy skills training." This public hearing will be used for residents to voice their opinions on how this plan can be personalized to the people of Hadley and best benefit the community. “The ultimate goal is to bridge the digital divide, however, there is no one-size-fits-all approach,” DESC Director Alexander LaMarche said. “Hadley is a rural farming community of just a little over 5,000 people. Our needs are going to be different from the needs of Northampton or Springfield." (Courtesy of Digital Equity Steering Committee.) For more information about the digital equity plan or the upcoming public hearing, contact Alexander LaMarche via email at [email protected]. Local News Headlines Boston man sentenced for possession of firearm, armor-piercing ammunition Senator Adam Gomez sworn into Mass. State Senate for third term Local Farmer Awards applications open for western Massachusetts farmers Hadley to hold public hearing for digital equity plan WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.