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Broadband director: provider withheld from list over unmet checks, tax delinquencies; peer report adopted
Summary
Glenn Howie, the State Broadband Director, told the committee a provisional broadband provider was excluded from this month’s list because it had not met evaluation checkboxes, including unresolved local property tax delinquencies "about $800,000–$900,000" across roughly 10 counties; the peer subcommittee report was adopted by the council.
Glenn Howie, the state broadband director, told the Arkansas Legislative Council that one provisional selectee for the broadband program was not included among the 15 providers presented to the committee because it had not satisfied all evaluation criteria, including outstanding local property tax obligations.
Howie said the tax delinquencies involved "about $800,000–$900,000" in roughly 10 counties, as described by a committee member during questions. He added that his office uses a fixed‑amount subaward model: disbursements are paid to providers only when specific construction milestones are reached (percentages of locations or facilities completed and customers connected).
"We will never bring a grant agreement, a provider to execute a grant agreement before we fully evaluate them," Howie said, explaining why the provisional selectee was omitted from the current set of providers. He told members the office would not present a provider for a grant agreement until delinquency and other evaluation items were resolved.
Representative Wardlaw moved to adopt the peer subcommittee report and the council approved the motion by voice vote. Separately, Representative Calvin said the revenue subcommittee had voted to hold consideration of a District 4 tire removal contract until the next meeting on March 17, 2026.
The committee also heard a range of routine subcommittee reports (executive, administrative rules, occupational licensing, hospital/Medicaid, insurance oversight, personnel) and adopted them by voice votes.
