Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Avery County hears SkyBest plan for nearly $10 million broadband build to serve 956 locations
Loading...
Summary
SkyBest was selected for Avery County’s CAB grant project that would build broadband to 956 locations at a project cost of $9,999,410.12; county staff said American Rescue Plan funding was pledged to support the work.
SkyBest Communications has been selected as the vendor for Avery County’s Competitive Assistance Broadband (CAB) grant, a project county officials say would serve 956 locations and carry a total price tag of $9,999,410.12.
County Manager Phillip Barrier Jr. and SkyBest representative Edward Hinson presented details at the Board of Commissioners meeting on July 1. Hinson said the CAB project includes two years to construct the network plus three years to maintain the network and provide subscriber service. "This was a huge step in the right direction with getting reliable internet in Avery County," Hinson said.
The proposal, as presented, shows an average cost per location of $10,459.63. Barrier told the board that the county had previously pledged American Rescue Plan Act funds toward broadband expansion. Vice-Chair Dennis Aldridge noted the estimate rose from an earlier $8 million expectation: "We are very excited about this. We had originally thought it would be 8 million dollars but now we are just shy of 10 million dollars," he said.
No formal county contract award was recorded in the meeting minutes; the presentation established SkyBest as the selected vendor under the CAB grant process and staff indicated they are working on project timelines. Board members thanked SkyBest for work toward expanding broadband access.
Next steps described at the meeting included finalizing timelines and contract terms; county staff said they would return to the board as needed for approvals required by contract or funding conditions.