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Kewaunee County board endorses Bertram for federal BEAD broadband funding
Summary
The Kewaunee County Board of Supervisors unanimously endorsed Bertram Communications LLC’s proposal for federal BEAD funding, citing wide eligibility across the county and no direct county funding requirement; the endorsement is intended to improve grant-scoring for a February 25 state deadline.
The Kewaunee County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to endorse Bertram Communications LLC’s proposal for the federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, Administrator Kroll told the board. The board recorded a 17-0 vote in favor of the resolution.
County endorsement matters because the BEAD scoring process awards local government support points that can affect which provider wins state subgrants, Kroll said. ‘‘The county's endorsement is worth 7 points,’’ he said, adding that towns and municipalities could add 2 points each if they independently endorse a provider.
BEAD is a federally funded program administered through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and implemented in Wisconsin through the Wisconsin Public Service Commission. Kroll told the board that Wisconsin submitted address-level data identifying more than 4,000 Kewaunee County addresses as unserved or underserved under BEAD rules, and that Bertram’s proposal covers all 29 project units that intersect the county.
The Broadband Committee—which Kroll said included Supervisors Shelton and Poppy, Chairman Olsen, local resident and IT expert August Neverman, IT Director Ross Learning and Corporation Counsel Dave Depo—reviewed proposals from four providers and recommended endorsement of Bertram unanimously. Kroll said the committee recommended Bertram in part because the company does not seek direct county funding and has proposed accepting in-kind county contributions such as use of existing county-owned sites for equipment. ‘‘The draft agreement is not what you're voting on. You're voting only on the resolution,’’ Kroll said.
Supervisor Swagel pressed for clarity on the funding commitment and read language in the draft that he summarized as: ‘‘No money from Kewaunee County—period.’’ Kroll confirmed the resolution and conversation assume no direct county match; any use of county land or facilities would return to the board for separate approvals as needed.
August Neverman, identified by the committee as an IT expert, urged support, saying the proposal would serve many of the county’s eligible (yellow) areas on the presentation map and that ‘‘their technology is excellent. They've done other projects within the state.’’ Kroll and Neverman both noted that some currently served locations—marked as ineligible under BEAD rules—already have fiber or qualified service and therefore would not be included in the BEAD-funded buildout.
Board members asked about competitive effects on existing local providers (referred to in the meeting as BugTussle, Charter and Brightspeed), pricing and oversight. Kroll said the state Public Service Commission would administer and oversee subgrants and that the BEAD program includes complaint and oversight mechanisms if construction or restoration issues arise. Kroll also noted that providers must publish required service levels and pricing under the grant, which influenced some providers’ decisions not to participate.
Timeline details provided to the board: the state subgrant applications are due to Wisconsin by Feb. 25; the state will evaluate proposals and make selections that are subject to final federal approval. Kroll said it is unlikely physical construction would begin before early to mid‑2026 under the program timetable.
The board approved the resolution by voice vote after discussion; the clerk recorded 17 yes, none opposed. The committee and administration said they will notify town and municipal governments and offer to brief them; municipalities decide independently whether to provide their own endorsements, which would add local scoring points for those project units.
Votes at a glance: Resolution endorsing Bertram Communications LLC for BEAD subgrant scoring—motion by Supervisor Shelton, second by Supervisor Ortlieb; recorded vote 17 yes, 0 no; outcome approved. The draft contract accompanying the committee materials was shown for information and is not the subject of this vote.
Next steps: county staff will send a letter to local municipalities summarizing the committee recommendation and encouraging local endorsements where appropriate; final selection decisions rest with the Wisconsin Public Service Commission and federal BEAD administrators.
