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By ADAM BOWIE
bowie.adam@dailygleaner.com

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Mayor Brad Woodside will travel to Hawaii later this month to promote Fredericton's technological prowess at an international smart conference.

The conference, which is titled Collaborating for Change: Strategies, Opportunities and Partnerships, will be held in Honolulu on Jan. 18-21.

Woodside has been asked to participate in a panel discussion on how successful communities use broadband and WiFi networks to gain an economic advantage, improve local government services and make life easier for citizens and businesses.

He said the trip will help to elevate the city's status as a leader in the world of information technology.

"It's a strategic opportunity for Fredericton," he said.

The capital region's longest-serving mayor will make a presentation on how Fredericton has been able to implement and embrace new broadband and WiFi technologies to a room full of university professors, CEOs and community leaders from across the globe.

The Intelligent Communities Forum will also announce the world's top seven intelligent communities at the conference. But Fredericton resident Tim Andrew, who ran against Woodside in the last municipal election, said the trip is another example of city council's frivolous spending.

He said he's not surprised to see it opening up the coffers for a new marketing trip.

"They still don't seem to have the message that times are tough," he said.

Andrew said many local residents are frustrated that the city recently decided not to reduce the tax rate and that it will spend $150,000 promoting the unfinished convention centre.

"The money all comes from taxpayers who are not going to be any richer this year than they were last year - probably less," he said.

"So I think it's unfortunate that the mayor thinks this is an appropriate time to go to Hawaii."

Woodside spoke about fiscal restraint in his recent state of the city address, but he also made it clear that Fredericton would put a special effort into another run at this year's smart city competition.

"I made it abundantly clear that we were pulling out all the stops for this particular effort, but I also said it isn't going to be something we're chasing after every year," he said.

"It would probably be a little more acceptable if it were in North Bay, Ont., but (they're having it in Hawaii). That's where they've had it every year. It's one of the largest (conferences) in the world and it gives us exposure that you can't put a price tag on."

He said the trip is another chance to impress the competition's judges, sell the city's growing reputation to competing communities, and share information with other municipal leaders who are trying to follow in Fredericton's technological footprints.

"What I'm going to be talking about there is something that a lot of cities in North America still haven't been able to do," he said.

"When you see the city of Philadelphia, that has tried (to do what we've done with our free WiFi network) and failed, and is still continuing to try based on a model that Fredericton put forth as the first in Canada, one of the first in North America, it's pretty impressive."

Fredericton has been named to the Smart21 list three times by the Intelligent Communities Forum and was ranked as one of the world's top seven smart cities in 2008.