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Board approves West Central underground fiber to provide free fairgrounds WiFi
Summary
West Central Telephone will install underground fiber to provide free public WiFi at the county fairgrounds; the board approved the installation and required verification of existing provider contracts before work proceeds ahead of the summer fair.
The Wadena County Board on April 21 approved a request from West Central Telephone to run underground fiber to the county fairgrounds to provide free public WiFi and future service to fairground buildings.
IT Coordinator Neil Hutson and West Central Project Supervisor Josh Pearson presented route maps and described the installation as a simple service-line project that would not require additional easements. The Fair Board Chair will provide the county administrator with the current WiFi provider contract to confirm no conflicts exist before work begins.
Commissioner Jon Kangas asked whether the installation could create competitive issues with other providers or interfere with future building projects. County Attorney Kyra Ladd reminded the board that the fairgrounds are county property and the board has authority to permit installations and control placement. West Central confirmed it has the capability to provide wired connections for cash machines if the county or fair vendor later requests that service.
The motion by Commissioner Bryan Winkels to approve West Central’s request carried unanimously. West Central indicated it plans to complete the installation before the upcoming summer fair.
