Region 9 says Cortez–Mancos fiber must be lit by Q3; commissioners urged to negotiate access to two fiber strands

Region 9 staff told the county commission that a funded fiber project to connect Cortez to Mancos must be operational by the end of the third quarter to satisfy grant closeout requirements.

Shaq (Region 9 presenter) said optical equipment is being programmed and routing equipment is staged, and that an indefeasible right of use (IRU) over Tri‑State fiber is in place. "By the end of Q3, we need to light it up," Shaq said, adding the county will need to negotiate access to two strands (a wavelength) from the county's allocated 24 strands.

Commissioners asked whether those negotiations require an executive session. County legal/staff (speaker 10) said possible terms for negotiation could justify an executive session and that board members should not expect that the presenters were prepared to negotiate terms at the workshop. The presenters recommended the county have an understanding of any agreements already reached with Clear Networks and suggested the board consider setting an executive session to discuss negotiation strategy.

Staff noted the grant closeout timeline and that the county contributed match for optical and routing equipment; Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) administered a portion of the grant and will require a closeout report. Region 9 said the project currently being prepared will extend fiber from Cortez to Mancos, with subsequent design work needed for later links to Durango.

Commissioners instructed staff to accelerate follow‑up and to return with the necessary negotiation materials. No final commercial terms were recorded during the workshop and no formal negotiation or vote occurred; staff recommended bringing the topic back to the board for possible executive‑session discussion of terms.