Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Broadband topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Bourbon County commissioners back two broadband providers with letters of support for BEAD applications
Summary
The Bourbon County Commission unanimously approved letters of support for broadband grant applications from IdeaTek and Cox Communications, citing potential to bring fiber to roughly 1,400 homes and the state’s BEAD grant timeline; commissioners emphasized competition and affordability.
The Bourbon County Commission voted Nov. 14 to provide letters of support to two broadband providers applying for federal BEAD funding, after separate presentations from IdeaTek and Cox Communications.
James Christalik of IdeaTek told commissioners the company seeks support for an application that would bring fiber Internet to about 1,400 homes in Bourbon County and said the project is part of a roughly $10.4 million grant proposal. "What we're looking for today is just more of a letter of support for an application that says you support this broadband initiative to bring about 1,400 homes with fiber Internet," Christalik said.
Later in the meeting Tara Alvin, government and public affairs specialist for Cox in Kansas, described Cox’s recent rural investments and asked the commission to provide a letter to accompany Cox’s application. "To support our application, we are requesting your partnership through a letter of support," Alvin said, noting the grant portal closes Dec. 5 and awards are expected in the first quarter of the following year.
Commissioners asked both presenters about competition for awards and whether supporting one applicant would preclude backing another. Alvin and Christalik both said letters do not prevent the county from supporting multiple applicants and that competition can benefit residents by encouraging better service and pricing. After brief discussion the commission approved both letters by voice vote.
Why it matters: BEAD (the federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program) provides state-allocated funds to expand high‑speed service in unserved and underserved areas. Local letters of support are routinely requested by applicants to demonstrate local partnership and community buy-in.
The commission did not set any financial commitment as part of the letters; both providers said application details, including exact maps of proposed service, would become public after the portal closes.
