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Superior council advances Connect Superior expansion, approves $1.49 million construction contract
Summary
The Superior Common Council on Jan. 20 approved budget and contract steps to expand its municipal broadband network—Connect Superior—including wholesale-rate amendments, selection of Kramer Service Group for Phase 2 construction at $1,490,845.49, and amendments to construction management and provider agreements.
The Superior Common Council on Tuesday advanced the city’s municipal broadband program, approving a suite of budget and contract measures intended to move Connect Superior from launch to a growth phase and to begin Phase 2 construction.
Council adopted the recommended Connect Superior 2026 operating budget and approved amendments to three wholesale broadband service agreements to allow local internet service providers greater flexibility on pricing and speed tiers. Broadband manager Stephanie Becken told the council the network currently has roughly 1,100 passings after a recent North End extension, with about 114 active customer signups and around 20 names on a short-term install list. “Right now, we have a 114 that are signed up and active,” Becken said, adding the number of potential customers has grown as the project lit additional neighborhoods.
Becken and councilors discussed early take rates, which she described as roughly 10–15% from July 2025 in the initial rollout areas, and cautioned that percentages can fall temporarily when the city brings more passings on-line. Mayor Payne and councilors said they prefer tracking growth rates in newly lit neighborhoods rather than raw citywide percentages. Staff also said the feasibility study projects that the network would approach cost coverage only after roughly 4,000 passings and several years of build-out.
On contracts, the council approved an agreement with Kramer Service Group for Phase 2 fiber construction in the amount of $1,490,845.49 (motion carried by voice vote). The council also voted to amend the existing agreement with MyTech Services Incorporated to add construction management and inspection services for Phase 2, and approved a no-cost change amendment with Wynn LLC to the related service agreement.
The council discussed pricing changes for commercial and enterprise wholesale packages—shifts intended to align with market conditions and encourage adoption by local businesses. Becken said the city kept residential pricing stable while adding a 2-gig option and adjusting some commercial tiers to be more competitive.
Mayor Payne noted that most of the initial passings are residential and that grants remain a key funding source for early build phases; staff said funding has come principally from CDBG and ARPA and that the city has applied for BEAD funding but has not yet received BEAD disbursements. Councilors asked staff to continue outreach and to track adoption metrics as the network expands.
The council approved the broadband budget and related contractual steps by voice votes with motions and seconds recorded in the minutes. Kramer Service Group’s Phase 2 construction contract was specifically authorized for $1,490,845.49, and staff were directed to proceed with the construction management amendment and the no-cost contractual adjustment.
