Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Broadband topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Summit County outlines Summit Connects public‑safety fiber rollout for Norton
Summary
A Summit County official told Norton City Council the Summit Connects project will bring county‑owned fiber to Norton's public‑safety building only; residents will not be connected under the current route. County staff described contractor rules, hours and complaint procedures.
Summit County officials told Norton City Council on Nov. 3 that the Summit Connects fiber backbone will reach Norton next week and will connect the city's public‑safety building, not residences or businesses.
"At this time, this project is merely a public safety project," Holly Miller, assistant director for the Summit County Department of Community and Economic Development, said during the council's communications from the public. "This current fiber route is not connecting any residents." Miller said the county is about halfway through a planned 135‑mile route linking 31 communities and that work in Norton will begin on Cleveland–Massillon Road.
Why it matters: the county describes the route as an intranet for public‑safety operations that would allow emergency systems to continue to communicate if commercial internet service is disrupted. Miller said the county's prime contractor is Henkelson McCoy and that Fergus has been subcontracted for local work; QCI is the county's on‑site project manager.
Miller outlined operational rules intended to limit community disruption: crews must work in marked vehicles, typical permitted hours run from roughly 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and all work will occur in rights‑of‑way. She said QCI will address traffic‑management plans and that residents should report unmarked trucks or damage through a Summit Connects phone or email or directly to Miller so the project team can rectify problems.
Council members asked for clarifications about temporary pavement markings and locates; Miller said companies are doing GPS locates and that pavement marks remain valid for 10 days. She also noted county contract language requires marked vehicles and limits on work times. Council member Binsley will serve as the city's internal point of contact for the project, Miller said.
The county also mentioned cooperative purchasing opportunities — including possible participation in negotiated software contracts and GSA pricing for commonly used services — but emphasized the current route in Norton is limited to the public‑safety connection. Miller closed by inviting city officials to follow up with county staff to discuss additional municipal connections at a fee.
Looking ahead: Miller said the county will meet again with Norton administration and the executive's office to discuss optional connections for municipal buildings and potential negotiated pricing for partner services.
