County staff told the Columbia County Board of Commissioners that the county has received a federal broadband award to build fiber-to-the-home in Starbuck and to connect fiber to towers used for public-safety communications.

The staff member said, “We have gotten the award, and this will be to, build fiber to the home in Starbuck like we have in Dayton,” and explained the grant comes from the same ARPA-funded program used on prior projects. The presenter added the award amount is “like, like, 2.1” million dollars and that private partners Inland Cellular will cover part of the required match for a portion of the work.

Why it matters: staff described the grant as a way to extend reliable high‑speed service to a rural area that currently relies on microwave line-of-sight systems. Staff said burying the fiber—rather than placing it on poles—was desirable because it better withstands wildfire, wind and other hazards and improves the reliability of connections used by county public‑safety systems.

Key details: staff explained Starbuck has no current fiber backhaul and that if the county connects fiber to nearby towers, wireless providers could use the towers’ microwave backhaul to serve homes more effectively. The presenter said a separate middle‑mile fiber being built at Lyons Ferry could eventually provide a higher‑capacity backhaul connection.

Match, timeline and permitting: staff said Inland Cellular will pay a $400,000 share for part of the project and that Columbia County’s portion for the communication tower run is $100,000. The presenter said the county must provide a letter verifying local match before the state will finalize pre‑contract requirements and SEPA certification. “We have to have this project done by October 2026,” the staff member warned, describing the federal funds’ completion deadline.

Outstanding questions and next steps: commissioners asked whether other grant funds could be used for the match; staff said yes, and that the match could be provided in phases rather than all at once. Staff also said required engineering, cultural‑resource work and federal procurement materials are largely ready because similar projects were completed previously, and noted trenching for the buried line may or may not require archaeological monitoring depending on depth and location.

The board did not take a formal vote on the Starbuck broadband item at the meeting; staff requested direction about signing a letter confirming the county will provide match and emphasized that match‑letter timing is the principal hurdle to moving forward.