Red River Communications presented an update to the Clay County Board of Commissioners on a multi‑grant broadband expansion targeted at the South Moorhead–Sabin–North Comstock area. Tom Stenelson, Red River’s chief executive, said the company expects ‘‘construction will begin in early construction season this year’’ and that preliminary work is in finalization.

Stenelson described the project footprint shown to the board as a Proposed Funding Service Area (PFSA) based on federal broadband mapping. He said the firm uses FCC/BEAD data and engineering partners (C and E) to finalize routes and that Red River will not run a service drop to a residence that does not request service. The company estimated roughly 171 locations within the primary PFSA and said the North Holly grant area (a separate border‑to‑border grant) is substantially complete with a take rate just under 70 percent.

Commissioners pressed staff and the company on ‘‘white’’ areas excluded from the federal grant map. Red River said the white blocks represent locations that the federal mapping indicated already had access and that some ‘‘islands’’ on the map reflect existing tower sites or private connections; the company said those areas could be served later but might not be part of the 2026 federal build. Stenelson urged residents lacking service to contact Red River and offered to coordinate outreach visits with county offices and the sheriff’s office.

Staff and board members raised concerns about sequencing, local routes and county facilities that might need early connections. Red River said route planning remains under engineering development and clarified that funding streams for the project include USDA Reconnect (federal) for the proposed 2026 construction, Minnesota DEED border‑to‑border funds for previous patchwork builds, and other state line‑extension programs where applicable.

The board took no formal vote on project approval at the meeting; the presentation was informational and Red River committed to return with updates and outreach plans as customers sign up.