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Yates County plans ReConnect Phase 3 construction; permitting, splitters and handoff timelines set
Summary
County staff told the Finance Committee on April 7 that ReConnect Phase 3 work is scheduled in 2026 with permitting and material orders driving exact start dates; splitters are scheduled for 4/8 and H&M will return 4/13 to install them. Committee cleared related permitting resolutions to go to the legislature.
Yates County broadband program manager Jeffrey Ayers told the Finance Committee that Phase 3 of the ReConnect project is moving toward procurement and permitting, with schedule driven by permits and materials rather than an internal target date. He reported that "No customers have been connected on this phase yet" and that splitters were scheduled for delivery on April 8 and that H&M would return to install splitters on April 13 to address interrupting light-service issues.
Ayers walked the committee through a multi-phase schedule that shows Phase 3 work in southeast Penn Yan and Dundee planned for 2Q–3Q 2026, with an approximate 80-day construction window once permitting and materials are in place. He said new engineering contracts are pending for the Phase 3 backbone and decommissioning work and that weekly engineering meetings will restart when the Phase 3 build begins. Chair Bill Holgate asked whether permitting resolutions should proceed to the April legislative meeting; after discussion and edits there were no objections.
County staff emphasized that permitting (railroad and NYSDOT crossings) and material lead times will dictate the actual start date; Ayers told the committee staff will work with Empire on the final Make-Ready handoff language once Empire is ready to take over remaining field tasks.
