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Commissioners approve county matches for two BEAD applications; staff recommended $4.5M for Plateau, $500K for TrueNet
Summary
The Santa Fe County Board approved county match funding to support two broadband applicants seeking federal BEAD grants, recommending $4.5 million for Plateau Telecommunications—9 project and $500,000 for TrueNet—9s Espanola-area proposal.
Santa Fe County commissioners voted to authorize budget authority and move forward with county match support for two broadband projects that plan to apply for federal BEAD funding.
Economic development and planning staff reviewed five applications received under the county—9s BEAD match notice of funding opportunity and recommended awards to two applicants. Plateau Telecommunications requested a county match of $14.2 million for a three-project-area proposal covering parts of the northern and eastern county; staff recommended budgeting $4.5 million as a county match and return later with a project participation agreement if the BEAD award is granted. Commissioners discussed the company—9s need to secure the remaining match and the possibility of an Office of Broadband Adoption and Expansion (OBAE) waiver for high-cost areas; staff said Plateau—9s prior federal project experience strengthens its application but could not promise a waiver outcome.
A separate application from TrueNet Internet Services requested BEAD funding covering several areas; staff recommended a $500,000 county match for the Espanola project area where a hybrid fixed wireless/fiber approach was proposed. Commissioners described that project as serving unserved communities in the Santa Cruz Valley and noted recent regional fiber availability along State Route 76 as a potential middle-mile resource.
Commissioner Hank Hughes moved to approve a match authorization for Plateau, specifying the economic development fund as the preferred source; Commissioner Justin Green seconded and offered a comment encouraging Plateau to include a deeply affordable customer tier in its proposal. The board approved the resolution. For the TrueNet item, Commissioner Green moved approval and Commissioner Adam Johnson seconded; the board approved that award as well.
Staff noted next steps: applicants will submit BEAD applications to OBAE by the state—9s deadline; if an applicant receives BEAD funding, the county will draft a project participation agreement setting terms, conditions and disbursement schedules and return to the board for final approval of the match disbursement and any budget adjustments.
Why this matters: The BEAD program (federal) prioritizes last-mile fiber but allows hybrid solutions in some cases; county match funds are intended to improve applicants—9 competitiveness and target unserved or underserved areas where private investment has been limited. Commissioners discussed tradeoffs between fiber and wireless, project cost per location in rugged terrain, and the risks if a chosen applicant cannot meet match or scoring requirements.
Outcome: The board approved motions to budget county match funds and direct staff to negotiate project participation agreements contingent on BEAD awards.
