Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Broadband Access topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County board backs letters of support for rural BEAD broadband projects
Summary
After a presentation from a local broadband cooperative, the Houston County board approved letters of support for two Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) grant applications covering separate rural service areas.
John Tabert, marketing, sales and support manager for Ascentec, told the Houston County Board that the company is applying for Minnesota BEAD (Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment) grants covering underserved and unserved addresses in Brownsville and the HOKA area.
"These fiber projects are just another evolution of making sure that our communities, even though rural, can have access to technology," Tabert said during the presentation, adding the project includes about 189 addresses in the Brownsville area and 474 addresses in the HOKA build area that state data flagged as underserved or unserved.
Ascentec asked the board for a government resolution or letter of support the company can include in its BEAD application. Commissioners voted to approve letters of support for two separate applicants covering different service areas; one commissioner abstained from the Centex/Ascentec vote because of a board affiliation.
The board's action did not obligate county funds; the letters are intended to strengthen grant scoring by showing community and governmental support. Commissioners noted the projects will compete for state BEAD allocations and that award notices could arrive later in the year, with construction, if funded, projected to begin in 2026 and finish by 2028.
No formal details about matching funds or local commitments were made during the public presentation beyond the request for a support letter. Tabert said the application deadline is the 21st of the month and requested the county include letters and resolutions to show local support.
Commissioners discussed the separate geographic coverage for each applicant and confirmed both applications were worth supporting; one commissioner abstained because of a board role with one applicant. The motions to approve letters of support carried.
