In the early days of high tech, “Good Guy” was a term of reverence reserved for those coveted individuals who could labour under adverse conditions, with minimal resources and be counted on to deliver finished work of unfailing quality, without drama. They were the folks everyone wanted on their team.
Ross Bartlett was a “Good Guy”.
Ross Bartlett,1966-2017
Ross volunteered his valuable time, creative energy and personal resources to the MM2020 broadband project. Ross labored to give our group an identity and community engagement. His calm, ever articulate, baritone voice could be heard on local radio and at community events advocating on behalf of his people, the rural residents of Mississippi Mills. Years earlier, Ross had voted with his feet and wallet to share a work/life balance with his family embracing the values we share as rural residents, establishing his design and software business in the future technology center of Rosetta. Ross understood long before many of us, the social and economic equalizing force rural broadband service offers to bridge the urban /rural divide, thus the Storm Internet community tower in his yard that enabled his neighbors and powered the Bartlett global enterprise.
I knew Ross briefly, we were instant friends, a natural leader, a man of his word, kind, clever, funny, generous with his time, with a profound social conscience and selfless drive to improve our community.
Knowing Ross was my pleasure, his passing is our loss.
Mike O’Malley
Chair, Broadband Working Group
Community and Economic Development Committee
Municipality of Mississippi Mills
