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Council hears update on broadband grant timeline; town may consider owning fiber infrastructure
Summary
A statewide broadband meeting highlighted a Dec. 1 application deadline and potential applicants; councilors discussed permitting and whether the town should own fiber infrastructure to preserve competition.
Council member Scott Larson reported on a statewide broadband meeting and told the council there is an early December deadline to apply for broadband grant funding.
Larson said he learned someone has submitted an application to place fiber through the area and that several private parties offered to help the town plan fiber deployment. He reported a recurring obstacle: securing permits to place fiber and the cost of using incumbent provider conduits. Larson said one option discussed at the meeting was municipal ownership of fiber infrastructure with leases to independent Internet service providers to preserve competition, though he cautioned the town may lack the resources to operate such an arrangement.
Larson referenced retired school-district employee Carl Buchanan, who assisted in early fiber efforts, and named local individuals who may be interested in participating in the upcoming application effort. He also said money from the statewide program may be available through 2026 but that the application’s first deadline is Dec. 1.
Why it matters: broadband funding could bring fiber to the town; permitting and right-of-way coordination are major hurdles and the council may need to decide whether to pursue ownership models or rely on private providers.
Next steps: staff will continue outreach to potential partners and gather permitting and cost information before the Dec. 1 application window.
