Dunn County task force recommends $25,000 contingency request to support 20 fourseven Telecom build in Sherman

The Dunn County Broadband Task Force voted to recommend that the county’s Committee on Administration seek $25,000 from the county contingency fund to help 20 fourseven Telecom build fiber-to-the-home in the town of Sherman.

The recommendation, moved and seconded during the task force’s meeting, directs the administration to consider a $25,000 contribution toward a privately led project that Jeff Emery of 20 fourseven Telecom described as “about $400,000” to reach roughly 50 locations along Highway 79 and nearby roads. The task force’s motion was a recommendation to the Committee on Administration; it does not itself obligate county funds.

Why it matters: Task force members said the project would close a known service gap in Dunn County, serve customers who are currently unserved on the state’s BEAD eligibility map and accommodate future growth on plat‑ted parcels adjacent to the route. Several members recommended a per‑location approach for local support as a way to limit county exposure while signaling local backing for broadband expansion.

Discussion and context: Emery told the task force that 20 fourseven had identified a corridor near Sherman with “about 50 locations” and that the company had neighboring facilities it could tap to feed the route. Emery said the company calculates costs at roughly “$10,000 per location” and assumes a 75% take rate when forecasting customer conversions; he said construction would begin this fall with customers turned up by January, if the project proceeds on the timeline he outlined.

Task force members discussed the county’s contingency fund and local matching. Dan (chair) initially referenced a commonly budgeted contingency amount of “about $150,000,” then a different participant corrected that the county’s current contingency line is $125,000 with “about $19,000 available” at the moment. Dan explained that contingency funds are overseen by the Committee on Administration and that the task force could only recommend using them; that committee and the full county board would make final decisions on any disbursement.

Several supervisors stressed the countywide benefits of bringing fiber—citing potential increases in property development, tax base and services for fixed‑income residents—and urged a modest, demonstrable local contribution. One member proposed a per‑house subsidy (examples discussed included $500 per household) as a way to target county dollars. After discussion the task force voted to recommend a $25,000 contingency request to the Committee on Administration.

Outcome and next steps: The motion passed on a voice vote. Dan said the recommendation will be forwarded to the Committee on Administration and then to county executive/board processes required for any use of contingency funds. Emery confirmed he will provide an updated location count and the project map to county staff to support the administration’s review and any PSC/BEAD coordination.

Votes at a glance - Recommendation to request $25,000 from the county contingency fund for 20 fourseven Telecom’s Sherman project — motion passed on a voice vote; mover/second not specified in the transcript.

Clarifying details (from meeting) - Project cost estimate provided by 20 fourseven Telecom: about $400,000. - Estimated serviceable locations: approximately 50 (Jeff Emery said his engineer marked 50; Dan’s quick count was 37 pending confirmation). - Per‑location estimate cited in discussion: roughly $10,000 per location before take‑rate adjustments. - Company’s assumed take rate mentioned by Emery: 75%. - Contingency fund figures discussed: chair referenced $150,000 as an annual budgeted amount; another participant stated the current contingency is $125,000 with roughly $19,000 currently available.

Ending: The task force’s recommendation is advisory; any county contribution must be approved by the Committee on Administration and through the county’s normal budget/ordinance process. Jeff Emery said he will follow up with the county with the confirmed location count and project map to support the administration’s review.