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Sullivan County Legislature amends Resolution 309-25 to allow pole attachments, authorizes surety bonds for broadband project
Summary
The Sullivan County Legislature on Sept. 4 amended Resolution 309-25 to permit pole attachment agreements with multiple telecom companies and authorized issuance of surety bonds required by those agreements to support the Catskill Open Access Network; the action includes a funding-contingent clause tied to MIP funding.
The Sullivan County Legislature on Sept. 4 approved an amendment to Resolution 309-25 that authorizes the county manager to execute pole attachment agreements and to issue surety bonds as required by those agreements with Frontier Communications, Verizon, Charter Communications and Spectrum to support the Catskill Open Access Network project.
The amendment and bond authorization were introduced by the chair of the legislature and read into the record before the legislature voted to adopt the change. The resolution text states that, should MIP funding be terminated, the county will not be obligated to continue actions under the pole attachment agreements entered with the named telecommunication companies.
Heather, a county staff member, told the legislature that the county’s broadband deployment is largely underground and that the pole attachments are needed only at locations where underground placement is impractical. "Most of this project is underground, 97% underground," Heather said, adding that in some spots environmental constraints or road crossings make an overhead attachment necessary. She said utilities generally do not require surety bonds but telecommunication companies do, and the county has two pending pole attachment agreements with Verizon and Frontier that cannot proceed until surety bonds are in place.
The resolution specifies that the county may enter into pole attachment agreements with the named telecommunications companies "in such form as the county attorney shall approve" to further the Catskill Open Access Network project. The measure also authorizes issuance of surety bonds as required by those agreements and leaves all other terms of Resolution 309-25 unchanged.
After a brief call for public comment (none were received), a motion to adopt the amendment was made and seconded. The legislature voted to approve the amendment; the chair announced the vote as "8 zip," indicating an 8-0 vote in favor.
The amendment is intended to enable limited overhead pole attachments — Heather estimated the countywide initiative would involve roughly 51 to 500 poles — as part of the county’s grant-funded broadband deployment. The resolution ties the county’s obligation to proceed to continued MIP funding; if that funding is terminated, the resolution states the county shall not be obligated to continue actions under the pole attachment agreements.
The legislature adjourned after the vote.
