Acentek asks Brownsville council for support as regional fiber grant would exclude city

John Tabbert of Acentek told the Brownsville City Council on April 2 that a regional broadband grant under consideration would fund a fiber build that could later expand into the city but does not currently include Brownsville. He said 189 households fall inside the eligible area and that the full build would cost about $5.6 million; if funded, the company expects construction to begin in 2026 and complete in 2028.

The presentation focused on obtaining local political support to strengthen the grant application. "189 households are eligible under the current grant area," Tabbert said, and he encouraged residents to "write letters of support" to bolster the application. He asked the council for a resolution of support to help secure funding, and described the regional project as preparatory for later service extension into Brownsville.

Mayor Jean Meyer and council members discussed the request; no formal resolution was recorded at the April meeting. The company representative said the grant, if awarded, would allow work in the surrounding area and prepare network infrastructure so Brownsville could be included in a later phase. The council did not commit to a vote on a resolution at this meeting.

The issue matters to residents who lack fiber access because a regional grant that excludes the city could delay or complicate Brownsville's access to faster internet. Acentek's request sets a possible next step: a council resolution endorsing the grant application and public outreach to support it. The council scheduled follow-up opportunities on the May agenda as part of broader infrastructure discussions.