Commissioners approve AT&T‑linked franchise to expand county fiber

The Mason County Board of Commissioners voted to approve a franchise agreement that allows Forge Fiber 37 LLC — an AT&T subsidiary formed to hold assets purchased from Lumen Fiber — to construct, operate and maintain fiber‑optic telecommunications infrastructure within county rights of way.

David Smith of the Department of Public Works introduced the item and said the franchise would cover county roads in Forge Fiber’s service area and enable the company to expand existing fiber assets locally. “This would allow them to construct, operate and maintain their fiber optic system within Mason County rights of way,” he said.

During the public testimony period, Elizabeth Walker, who said she was appearing on behalf of Forge Fiber 37, described the local effort as part of a nationwide purchase of Lumen assets and urged the board to approve the agreement. “AT&T is working at the local level to put the rights in place to own the assets that they’re purchasing,” Walker said, and she thanked county staff for their responsiveness.

There was no public opposition recorded during the hearing. A commissioner moved and another seconded approval; the board voted in favor on a voice vote with no recorded dissents. The agreement clears the way for the company to expand fiber capacity and, according to commissioners’ remarks, could bring faster internet to areas of the county with limited service.

Next steps identified in the hearing were administrative: execution of the franchise agreement by county officials and coordination with Public Works on installation within county rights of way.