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Supervisors review $2 million allocation to match BEAD broadband proposals; county will repurpose funds if not used
Summary
County staff described a proposed memorandum of understanding with Alofiber to serve as a local match for BEAD applications, using $2 million from local assistance and tribal consistency funds; supervisors discussed flexibility and prior ARPA-related allocations.
Cochise County staff told the Board Thursday they plan to enter a memorandum of understanding with Alofiber that would commit up to $2 million from the county’s Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency funds to help match federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) applications.
Dan Cosworth and a county project lead identified as Joe briefed supervisors on the proposed MOU. Joe said Alofiber was selected in a portal process last year and the county’s $2 million would be used to help secure BEAD funds to extend broadband in the county. "If they aren’t selected as a match, we will work together to come up with another project where the $2,000,000 will be used to help Internet throughout the county or somewhere in the county," Joe said.
Staff told supervisors the $2 million would come from federal Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency funds the county received; those funds were characterized as revenue-replacement money that county officials said traces to federal pandemic-era legislation closely related to but separate from ARPA. The county reported it had received about $5.8 million in this funding stream and previously allocated $3 million toward the county's enterprise resource planning project (ERP), leaving the $2 million discussed for broadband match uses.
Supervisors asked about the technology to be deployed; staff clarified the project is for wired fiber (not wireless) and that the Alofiber selection followed a portal procurement process. Staff also described the funds as relatively flexible because they were treated as revenue replacement by the federal government.
No formal action was taken during the work session. Staff said they would present the MOU language and related contract documents when the item returns to the regular meeting agenda and would coordinate local stakeholders if BEAD application decisions require alternative project planning.
