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Candidates back completing Wildwood broadband build‑out; funding and oversight remain central concerns
Summary
Candidates at a Wildwood City Council forum said they support finishing a broadband rollout to underserved homes but differed on oversight and efficiency; speakers cited Phase 1 funding of $6.75 million and said about 395 homes still lack service.
Candidates at a League of Women Voters forum said they support completing Wildwood’s broadband rollout but emphasized that funding and implementation reviews are essential before spending more city money. Edward Marshall, an incumbent council member (Ward 5), said the federal and state funding channels are the path to finishing the remaining work. "The initial build out of over $6,000,000 took care of all, but maybe less than a 180 homes that would have to be done," Marshall said, adding that federal money needs to be transferred through the state to Internet providers.
Jason Bockert, a Ward 6 candidate, said Phase 1 of the project used American Rescue Plan funds and cited a Phase 1 total of "$6,750,000." Bockert said about 395 homes still lack high‑speed internet and called finishing the work "a big, big priority of mine." Another incumbent, Albers, said Spectrum has been a difficult partner but agreed that roughly 400 homes remain without service and that the state/federal BEAD program should cover the remainder.
Why it matters: Access to high‑speed internet affects education, business and telework. Candidates framed the issue as a technical and fiscal implementation challenge rather than a policy debate about whether to extend service.
Details and context: Candidates recommended careful review of prior implementation before committing additional funding. Several urged pursuing available federal and state funds rather than placing a new spending measure before Wildwood voters; one candidate said that without external funding the city would have to seek voter approval to spend local dollars. Candidates also urged that any further phases avoid wasteful spending and be implemented “effectively,” as one speaker put it.
No participant proposed a specific new tax or city appropriation at the forum. The discussion focused on remaining coverage gaps and the use of state and federal broadband programs to complete the build‑out.
