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City council approves Send Away franchise to extend broadband to underserved areas
Summary
Willard City Council voted to approve a telecommunications franchise with Send Away after a presentation on maps, construction plans and service targets; the company said buildout could begin in roughly 5–6 months with on-the-ground construction likely in spring.
Willard City Council on Dec. 11 approved a franchise agreement with Send Away that the company said is intended to extend internet service to addresses the state and federal data mark as unserved or underserved.
The council moved quickly from a presentation to a voice vote after listening to maps and a technical briefing. "The data points that are on the maps, that's what's your targets," the Send Away representative said during the presentation, describing state-supplied maps that identify locations below the federal connectivity thresholds (25 megabits down/3 up for unserved; 100/20 for underserved). The presenter added that much of the planned route will use state rights-of-way and existing easements, and that construction will be a mix of underground work and pole-mounted lines in rockier areas.
During questioning, council members raised concerns about pole placements through neighborhoods, how easements would be handled, whether residents would be asked to sign up or be marketed to, and how the company would handle repairs. The presenter said the company hires local crews and handles repair work directly: "You'll always have my cell phone number or one of the other members of the team's cell phone number," the presenter said, adding the firm intends to be responsive to local issues.
Councilmember Jake moved to approve the Send Away telecommunications franchise agreement; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote. The motion text and packet materials were included in the council packet; the minutes record a voice approval but do not list a roll-call tally.
Why it matters: council members said the franchise targets households that lack sufficient broadband for work and school. The arrangement also relies on federal aid passed to the state and allocated to projects that identify underserved locations, according to the presenter. The council asked staff to be cautious about appearing to advertise any single provider while allowing a mechanism for residents to register service gaps.
Next steps: with the franchise approved, the company told the council the earliest on-the-ground work could begin is about 5–6 months, with a likely spring break-ground timeline; staff will follow up on easements, right-of-way coordination and resident outreach procedures.
