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UETN outlines budget squeeze, seeks $2.1 million for conferencing and highlights Navajo Mountain fiber push
Summary
The Utah Education and Telehealth Network told a legislative subcommittee it can deliver broadband to remote schools and is seeking $2.1 million to continue teleconferencing services; agency leaders warned proposed fee shifts and cuts could disrupt services that help districts draw federal E‑Rate subsidies.
The Utah Education and Telehealth Network (UETN) told the Executive Appropriations subcommittee that its statewide connectivity program now supports more than 2,800 education and health-care sites and relies heavily on federal E‑Rate subsidies to multiply state investment.
Spencer Jenkins, representing UETN, said the agency’s infrastructure base bill appropriates roughly $57 million and noted a 22% reduction from the FY26 revised level largely tied to last year’s one‑time funding. Jenkins said UETN helps draw down federal E‑Rate funds and that “for every 30 cents the state puts in, we draw down 70 cents” through the FCC program.
UETN and partners also described a multiyear effort to bring fiber to remote communities. Brock Johansen, CEO of Emery Telcom, described grants and compatibility with tribal permitting that have advanced the line to Monument Valley and Navajo Nation communities; he said, “We should have the Navajo Mountain School turned up on fiber by June 1.”
Agency leaders asked the committee to continue funding a teleconferencing contract—recorded in budget materials as a $2.1 million request—split in the agency brief as $1.6 million from the income tax fund and $520,000 from the Public Education Economic Stabilization restricted account. Jenkins and UETN CFO Lisa Kyun said last year’s Zoom licensing was provided with one‑time funding and the agency had requested ongoing support to sustain negotiated statewide discounts for Canvas and Zoom that serve K–12 and higher‑education users.
UETN also presented a set of suggested 5% reductions it judged least damaging and discussed alternatives the analyst had proposed, including shifting some services to fee‑for‑service models (charging LEAs, universities or health providers). The agency cautioned that charging for training, online library licensing, or telehealth membership could be difficult for small districts and libraries to absorb and could create pricing uncertainty with private vendors that contract across thousands of sites.
What’s next: UETN staff offered to provide follow‑up information on funding source flexibility and implementation details. Members thanked UETN for its services and the committee took no formal vote on UETN funding at this hearing.
