Columbia County commissioners on July 16 authorized staff to sign and submit the county's BEAD (Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment) application, approved a resolution stating the county’s intent to seek reimbursement from future financing by a potential broadband utility, and approved additional consultant and engineering expenses to expand the project.

IT Director Holly Miller told the board that the Oregon Broadband Office had delayed opening the application portal because its prior submission to the NTIA had not yet been approved, but provided the application templates for the county to complete. “We were recently informed by the Oregon Broadband Office that because their prior submission to NTIA has not yet been approved, they were unable to open the application portal,” Miller said. She asked the board to authorize a signer who would be available July 25 to sign application materials that staff would scan and upload.

Miller also asked the board to approve a not-to-exceed $4,000 engineering add-on to cover 838 additional sites that must be added after a RDOF default by Lumen; she said the engineering firm would bill actual cost but could cap this work at $4,000. The board approved that authorization. Miller further asked the board to use Title III broadband funds to pay an outstanding $43,000 in invoices from the county’s broadband consultant, RSG, for work done since March; the board approved increasing the consultant budget and extending the contract to carry the project through the BEAD application.

Separately, staff presented a proposed resolution declaring the county’s intent to seek reimbursement from any future financing obtained by a potential broadband utility for county expenses incurred to develop the project. The board adopted Resolution No. 47-2025, titled “Declaring intention to seek reimbursement from future financing by a potential broadband utility.”

Commissioners expressed support and some caution: one commissioner said the broadband work would be “a real boon” to the county’s economy and anchor institutions; another said they were “increasingly more hesitant” about aspects of the project but voted in favor. The board approved motions to sign the BEAD materials, to authorize the $4,000 engineering add-on, and to increase consultant funding for RSG under contract C96-2024-1.

The approvals included authorization for the chair or an authorized commissioner to sign required documents; staff will scan signed paper documents and upload them to the portal when it opens. Miller warned the portal delay may leave a short window for upload and asked the board to designate an available signer for July 25.

Background: BEAD is the federal program administered through state offices to distribute NTIA broadband funds. The county’s actions covered procedural approvals needed to submit the application materials and preserve the county’s ability to seek reimbursement if a nonprofit or utility later finances build-out.