Commissioners back letter supporting joint broadband hookup and approve Comcast courthouse/jail circuit contract

Greene County commissioners approved two broadband-related items: a letter of support for a proposed joint fiber build and a three-year Comcast agreement to connect county buildings.

On the proposed joint project, county staff described a plan to piggyback on a Next Level Communications build. The county circulated a draft letter of support asking the board to confirm that the joint project would allow the contractor to connect client homes and businesses without charging the customer a connection fee along that route. The board approved sending a letter of support; the county attorney and staff described it as costing the county nothing and intended to facilitate customer hookups off the larger grant-funded trunk build.

Commission staff also updated the board on an agreement with Comcast to provide fiber gigabit circuits to the courthouse and the jail. The county had previously approved an agreement that included a third circuit; staff clarified the final quote and said the two circuits negotiated were $700 per circuit plus $39.95 per modem per month. A monthly total for the courthouse package was reported as $1,479.90 under a three-year term. The county’s staff recommended the commissioners accept the Comcast agreement; the board voted to enter the contract.

County staff noted the contract is a standard vendor agreement and recommended treating it as a take-it-or-leave-it offer given the vendor pricing and installation timeline. Final pricing and modem fees are recorded in the meeting discussion for the board’s procurement record.