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Franklin County Commission conditionally commits ARPA funds for Tombigbee Electric broadband project
Summary
The commission unanimously approved a resolution to conditionally commit part of Franklin County’s ARPA funds to a fiber-optic broadband project led by Tombigbee Electric Cooperative, directing the county administrator to negotiate scope, budget and a funding agreement for later commission review.
The Franklin County Commission unanimously approved a resolution July 17 to conditionally commit a portion of the county’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to a fiber-optic broadband project proposed by Tombigbee Electric Cooperative.
Chairman Barry Moore said the county must meet state and federal guidelines for ARPA spending and thanked staff and partners for their work reviewing the application. "This is an investment in Franklin County," he said, adding that the county’s documentation will help during future audits. The resolution directs County Administrator Leah Mansell to engage with Tombigbee Electric Cooperative to refine the project’s scope and budget and to oversee drafting a funding agreement for later consideration by the commission.
The motion, made by Commissioner Chris Wallace and seconded by Commissioner Joseph Baldwin, passed unanimously. The resolution conditions the county’s commitment on further discussions with the utility and on compliance with the ARPA award’s terms and conditions; it does not authorize immediate payment. Chairman Moore also cited outside guidance in support of using ARPA funds as long-term investments: according to the minutes, Sonny Brasfield of the ACCA urged counties to "use it as an investment for your county."
The commission’s action moves the project to the negotiation phase: county staff will work with Tombigbee Electric Cooperative to refine which unserved and underserved areas would be served, finalize costs and ensure the plan meets federal and state requirements before the commission is asked to approve a funding agreement. No timetable for final approval or for construction was included in the meeting record.
Next steps listed in the minutes are staff negotiations with the cooperative and presentation of a proposed funding agreement for the commission’s review.
