HERMON (AP) – Gov. John Baldacci announced the five members of the Connect ME Authority in his continued effort to expand availability of broadband Internet access and cell phone service throughout the state.

The authority will look at ways to reach Balcacci’s goals of making broadband available to 90 percent of Maine by 2010 and reliable cell phone service to the entire state by 2008. Baldacci announced the Connect ME initiative in January 2005.

The five members are Jean Wilson, vice president for information services at L.L. Bean; Mitch Davis, chief information officer for Bowdoin College; Dan Breton, director of governmental affairs for Verizon; Kurt Adams, chairman of the Public Utilities Commission; and Dick Thompson, state government’s chief information officer.

Baldacci announced the names of the authority members in Hermon, where all Hermon residents get free dial-up access to the Internet.

As of 2005, Maine Public Advocate Stephen Ward estimated 20 percent to 25 percent of Mainers have access to broadband, mostly through phone lines or cable connections.