Council votes to allow county letter of support for PowerStream Fiber broadband grant

PowerStream Fiber (presented as Power Stream Fiber / Caterer County RDMC) asked the Decatur County Council to provide a letter of support to accompany its application for a competitive federal broadband grant (referred to in the presentation as the "b grant"). The application deadline discussed by presenters was February 12 (year not specified in the transcript).

A company representative said the letter of support accounts for roughly 5% of the grant scoring and could strengthen PowerStream Fiber’s application to bring fiber-to-the-premises service to addresses in Decatur County and adjacent areas within the company’s electric territory. The company described use of previously invested ARPA funds ($500,000) as supporting earlier phases of the project and said the proposed deployment would follow the county’s electrical grid where possible (underground where present, aerial otherwise).

Councilmember Kenny moved that the county sign and provide the letter of support on county letterhead; the motion was seconded, called for a voice vote and approved with no recorded opposition. Staff said the letter will be drafted on county letterhead and signed as authorized.

Presenters discussed eligibility rules tied to FCC maps (unserved or underserved addresses) and noted that addresses with existing fiber service would likely be ineligible for the grant; they also said maps can lag behind current service. PowerStream representatives said they would provide a revised draft of the letter and county staff would place it on county letterhead before execution.

The council did not authorize any funding commitment or easement agreement in this vote; it authorized only a letter of support.