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Gilliam County approves $5.5M broadband grant agreement, accepts 25% match requirement
Summary
The county approved a negotiated BEAD-period grant agreement with Business Oregon for roughly $5.5 million in grant funds requiring a 25% local match; project manager Nick Green noted a grant condition requiring supplemental pollution insurance that will be procured and largely reimbursed.
Gilliam County Court on July 1 approved a negotiated Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) grant agreement with the Oregon Broadband Office and Business Oregon that provides about $5.5 million in grant funding for county broadband deployment, subject to a 25% local match.
Nick Green, the county's project manager on the broadband work, briefed the court on next steps: the county must sign the agreement, provide the executed contract to its bonding company to secure a performance bond, and may immediately begin submitting reimbursements once Business Oregon opens the portal. Green said he prepared an initial disbursement request that counts prior design expenditures toward the county's required match.
One specific contract requirement flagged during the presentation is a supplemental pollution-insurance endorsement that Business Oregon required for recipients. Green said that policy is intended for typical internet-service providers and that the county currently lacks a pollution-specific callout in its CIS coverage; the county will work with its broker to secure a supplemental policy that the grant will reimburse at 75% (25% counted toward the county match).
The court moved, seconded and unanimously approved the agreement and authorized Judge Patnode to execute it. Staff said they will finalize insurance procurement, submit the executed agreement to the bonding company for a performance bond, and proceed with the first reimbursement milestones.
