Broadband: Wallsburg staff pursue state broadband grant while private applicants also emerged

Wallsburg officials received an update on broadband grant opportunities and potential private proposals for fiber installation during the Sept. 5 meeting.

Councilmember Scott Larson reported on a statewide broadband meeting and said there is a Dec. 1 application deadline for a state broadband program. "There was a statewide meeting yesterday ... There there there's a deadline for December to actually make application," Larson said. He told the council he was surprised to learn a private party had already applied to the grant program to place fiber into Wallsburg, and he mentioned possible local applicants.

Larson said the town had offers of technical help from multiple parties and that a key challenge is permitting for fiber routes. He said some towns keep municipal ownership of fiber infrastructure and lease access to private Internet service providers to preserve competition; he noted that while that model can be advantageous, he was not sure Wallsburg has the resources to own and operate the infrastructure.

Larson also reported talking to retired school-district staff and other contacts who had helped earlier fiber work. He said the December application is the near-term deadline but that funds would probably be available through 2026 to carry out construction.

Councilmembers asked staff to continue tracking the grant schedule, potential applicants and permitting requirements and to report back with options the town could consider in deciding whether to pursue a municipally owned model, a public–private partnership, or to allow private deployment under town permit conditions.