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Board backs letter of support for River Street Networks’ BEAD funding application
Summary
River Street Networks briefed the board on fiber‑to‑the‑home build progress and requested a county letter of support for BEAD funding; the board approved filing the letter and staff will coordinate with River Street on next steps.
Rob Taylor of River Street Networks updated the Brunswick County Board of Supervisors on the company's fiber‑build progress and requested the county file a letter of support for River Street’s application to state BEAD funds.
Taylor reported the company had completed site prep at Warfield and the Freeman building was set but still awaiting power to complete fiber splicing. He said River Street had 569 passings under construction, expected to light roughly 409 customer locations by the first quarter of 2025 if power and right‑of‑way issues are resolved, and that a subset (about 60 locations) might be completed sooner. Taylor explained the company’s consumer pricing plans (a standard $69.95 package and a $65 low‑income package) and described local marketing plans and sign‑up events.
On funding, Taylor described the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program administered by NTIA, and said the state of Virginia has allocated roughly $1.48 billion; River Street requested a board letter of support to strengthen its application for state funds. County staff said the letter would not commit the county to matching funds and would not tie the county to a single provider.
A motion to file the requested letter of support was made and the board approved it by voice vote. Staff will work with the company and county administrator to draft the letter and coordinate next steps.
What this means: River Street can include the county’s letter in its BEAD application; the build timeline depends on power availability and right‑of‑way permits. The county’s endorsement does not, by itself, change permitting or land‑use approvals.
Representative quote from the meeting: Rob Taylor said, “We have 569 locations or passings that are under construction” and described the importance of getting power to the Freeman building before splicing fiber.
