Edgar County board approves letter of support for Frontier Communications broadband grant

The Edgar County Board approved a resolution authorizing a letter of support for Frontier Communications’ application to the state broadband funding round due Jan. 23.

Lisa moved the resolution and Andy seconded. Board members said the county would not be bound to Frontier by signing the support letter. Lisa said Frontier representative Mike Nelson had shown a preliminary map identifying about 432 locations in Edgar County that the state has flagged as grant eligible, and that most eligible locations for the first round lie in and around Paris and in the county’s southeast corner.

Board members asked how the state selects vendors and what rates would look like. County staff said applications are submitted to the Illinois Office of Broadband and that the state uses a point system; community support—including local resolutions—earns applicants extra points. Staff said the first round focuses on fiber builds, with later rounds allowing mixed fiber and fixed wireless solutions; satellite services were described as a temporary option.

Board members also discussed other vendors expressing interest, including Nextlink and a company named Pavlov, and said more vendors might appear at a February meeting. The resolution passed after an aye/nay voice vote was recorded as carrying.