County staff details phased broadband rollout, 10% revenue share and BEAD grant application

County staff outlined a multi-phase plan to operate a county-owned broadband fiber network, contract retail service to a private operator called Planters, and apply for federal broadband funds administered by the State of Georgia. Staff told commissioners the county co-owns the new broadband fiber ring with the local school system and will contract with Planters to provide retail internet service over that network. "We own the lines that they will operate through," the staff presenter said, and Planters will market retail service to customers in covered areas. Staff said the initial construction should allow the east side of the county to be "lit up" in a first phase targeted for October, with additional ring connections completed in a second phase by December. The county will receive 10% of broadband revenue from Planters; that share is intended to cover the cost of a future county broadband staff position to administer operations. Staff said Planters had indicated it may want the county to operate broadband as a utility after roughly five years. Commissioners and staff discussed costs to connect residences (staff said monthly retail service might be around $100/month; connection charges to a home were "not specified" in the presentation). One speaker said they had personally paid $3,000 to extend service half a mile from the road; staff did not offer a uniform connection fee. Staff said Burke County is applying to the State of Georgia for a federal broadband grant (federal BEAD funds administered by the state) for roughly $9,000,000 and would match with about $9,000,000 in local SPLOST funds to extend approximately 400 miles of broadband. That application would be decided at the state level; Comcast and other providers are also applying. No formal board action or vote on the broadband program occurred during this work session; commissioners were briefed and asked questions about marketing, phasing, revenue, staffing, and potential future operation as a county-run utility.