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Franklin County Legislature approves $15,735,778.27 in broadband grant amendments after 4–3 votes
Summary
The Legislature approved amendments to two state broadband grant agreements—MIP III for $12,308,000 and MIP I for $3,427,778.27—authorizing acceptance of additional funding and payment of 1% commitment fees; both measures passed 4–3 with three legislators voting nay.
The Franklin County Legislature on June 18 approved amendments to two state broadband grant agreements that together add $15,735,778.27 to the county’s broadband funding portfolio, voting 4–3 on each measure.
The Legislature authorized an amendment to the MIP III Grant Disbursement Agreement with Empire State Development and the ConnectAll Office to accept $12,308,000 in additional grant funding and to pay a 1% commitment fee and public hearing costs not to exceed $123,680. The resolution states the amendment is contingent on acceptance by Empire State Development and ConnectAll. The motion was offered by Legislator Lauzon and seconded by Legislator Shoemaker; Legislators Lockwood, Sparks and Dumas voted nay while Chairman Greg Janisewski, Legislators Dabiew, Lauzon and Shoemaker voted in favor.
Lawmakers also approved an amendment to the MIP I Grant Disbursement Agreement with the NYS Urban Development Corporation, accepting $3,427,778.27 in additional grant funding and authorizing payment of a 1% commitment fee and public hearing costs not to exceed $35,578. That measure was moved by Legislator Lauzon and seconded by Legislator Dabiew and carried by the same 4–3 margin and roll-call pattern as the MIP III measure.
According to the resolutions, the amendments reflect additional grant funding and modifications to previously approved network designs intended to support broadband infrastructure improvements and to keep the projects aligned with the counties’ accepted General Project Plans. Both resolutions instruct the County Manager to execute the amendments upon review and approval by the County Attorney and make the amendments contingent upon the accepting agencies’ approval.
The close votes mark the only items on the agenda that drew recorded opposition; the record shows the three dissenting legislators voted against both amendments but the motion language and contingency provisions remain in place. The resolutions do not specify which specific network changes prompted opposition; the transcript records only the vote tallies and the contingency language included in the adopted texts.
Next steps: the resolutions direct the County Manager, subject to County Attorney review and the accepting agencies’ approval, to execute the grant amendments and to implement the funding according to the terms of the Grant Disbursement Agreements.
