Task force hears BEAD Volume 2 timing, county profile updates; round‑opening and eligibility still pending NTIA

Dunn County staff updated the Broadband Task Force on the status of BEAD (Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment) Volume 2 work, saying draft county profiles and draft project units exist but are not finalized while the county waits for federal (NTIA) actions that will affect final timelines.

Why it matters: BEAD project unit and eligibility decisions affect which areas may be competitively funded under federal/state programs; timely local endorsements and local match planning can influence whether an area receives priority under the program.

What staff said: Mark (county staff) told the task force that draft project units are available in draft form but not finalized and that the county will release project/unit information when it is set. He said the preliminary expectation for round‑one opening was November 1, but that date depends on NTIA and could change. He also noted a December 18 recommendation deadline for local endorsements under the county timetable if the federal timeline holds.

Task force reaction: Members discussed local matching and noted that provider activity (providers building ahead of BEAD or asking for local match during BEAD) is likely. Dan asked members to consider local match levels in advance of BEAD deadlines; one member cited the county’s count of 368 BEAD‑eligible locations and said that any private build that reduces that number is helpful.

Ending: Staff posted links to county profiles in the meeting chat and said staff would notify task force members if the BEAD timeline changes. Task force members agreed to watch for draft project units and prepare for endorsement and potential local match discussions.