Pine County board backs Mediacom broadband project, approves $1,000 contribution

The Pine County Board of Commissioners voted to provide a letter of support and a $1,000 financial contribution to Mediacom’s broadband deployment application under the state’s Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program.

Leslie Satter, Pine County economic development coordinator, introduced the Mediacom representatives who outlined a proposal that covers parts of Carlton and Pine counties. Mediacom’s presenters said the full project would build about 357 miles of fiber and serve 2,381 unserved and underserved locations across the two counties; within Pine County the company estimated 193 miles of fiber and 1,104 unserved or underserved locations. Mediacom representatives said the full-build timeline would be about three years, with phased service launches as construction progresses.

Board members asked about timing and staging. Mediacom said the applicant expects grant award decisions by fall 2025 if timelines hold and anticipates starting ground work in mid to late 2026, with phased activations thereafter. County commissioners said they appreciated the company’s proposal and the potential to improve connectivity in parts of the county that currently lack reliable broadband.

A motion to provide the requested letter of support and a $1,000 contribution passed with the board’s affirmation. The motion did not include specific contractual obligations; commissioners characterized the county action as a show of partnership to strengthen the grant application.

Mediacom representatives at the meeting included an area director and an on-site presenter; Pine County’s economic development coordinator facilitated the discussion. County staff said the contribution is optional for the application scoring but can help the applicant secure additional points in the grant evaluation.