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Council hears Intermountain Infrastructure Group on proposed telecom franchise
Summary
Council heard a presentation from Blake Wilson of Intermountain Infrastructure Group on a negotiated franchise to construct, operate and maintain a telecommunications network in Umatilla; the ordinance granting the franchise (8‑77) had a first reading and will return for second reading and vote.
The council held a first reading of Ordinance 8‑77, which would grant Intermountain Infrastructure Group LLC a franchise to construct, operate and maintain a telecommunications network within the city.
City staff said expanding broadband access is a council goal and that the franchise was negotiated over roughly a year. Intermountain representative Blake Wilson, joining by Zoom, described the company as a Pacific Northwest‑based telecommunications firm expanding in Oregon to build wholesale and retail infrastructure to increase capacity for ISPs and other providers. Wilson said the firm is eligible to participate in a public access network effort the city is studying and that franchisees would be eligible to provide retail internet services or wholesale capacity.
Council conducted first reading by title. Staff said the ordinance will return for a second reading and final vote in two weeks; if adopted the franchise would become effective about 30 days after passage.
