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Resident urges Green Isle to ‘rescue’ RS Fiber, asks council for debt and ownership answers
Summary
Public commenter Dallas Crawford asked the council detailed questions about RS Fiber’s customers, debts, bankruptcy status and options for city involvement after a reported buyout offer and co‑op liabilities were disclosed.
Dallas Crawford, during the public‑comment period, urged the Green Isle City Council to consider options to preserve RS Fiber and asked a long list of specific questions about the company’s finances and service terms.
Crawford read questions about how many paying customers RS Fiber serves, which cities are included, average monthly payments, whether customers have guarantees against future price increases and how long those guarantees last, and whether government assistance or alternative funding could be pursued. He also asked whether customers could be offered stock in exchange for a bailout and whether cities could become owners of RS Fiber or reorganize it as a co‑op.
“...the reason I want to rescue RS fiber is because I have received excellent service from them and would like them to continue,” Crawford said, adding that he had heard complaints about other providers and higher expenses.
A council speaker responded with preliminary information: Hawaa Broadband Communication (HBC) had made an offer of about $14 million to buy RS Fiber outright; RS Fiber’s total debt obligation was described as roughly $13 million, plus approximately $6.7 million owed to the 10 member cities in the co‑op. The council said bankruptcy proceedings had not occurred and that the city had retained a bankruptcy attorney to study options for a co‑op in distress.
Council staff and members pledged to follow up. The council noted some financial details—such as management salaries and certain operating specifics—may be private to RS Fiber as a business and could require a formal data request. Council members encouraged Crawford and other customers to submit further questions so staff could assemble additional information ahead of upcoming meetings.
What happens next: Council members said they will try to gather more complete information for a follow‑up, and indicated the issue may be discussed again when EDA or the full council examines options for co‑op involvement or a possible sale. No formal council action on RS Fiber occurred at the meeting.
