Representatives from Red River Communications updated the Clay County Board of Commissioners Dec. 31 that the company has been awarded a USDA Reconnect grant to bring fiber-optic broadband to roughly 200 locations in the county.

Steve Larson introduced the presentation, and Red River representatives said the award carries no direct financial obligation for the county. They described the project area, said much of the engineering work already was completed in 2024, and estimated construction would begin in 2026 with best-case completion in 2027 after splicing and customer hookups.

Presenters noted the company had previously secured a separate border-to-border grant for additional locations north of Holly and that some state grant programs are winding down, making federal programs like USDA Reconnect more significant for rural buildout.

Commissioners commended the outreach and economic-development potential and offered to help secure additional support or letters of advocacy as needed. No county funding was requested at the meeting.