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Council approves plan to bring fiber internet to Uintah City
Summary
Uintah City Council voted April 21 to pursue bringing fiber service into the city, directing staff to seek low‑risk providers and legal guidance and likely issue an RFP; members cited reduced costs and increased competition as primary benefits.
Mayor Bell opened a broad discussion on April 21 after two companies expressed interest in bringing fiber internet service to Uintah City. Council Member Thomas Combe moved to "bring fiber into the City," a motion that Council Member Jason Roberts seconded and the council approved unanimously.
Council Member Sorenson framed the potential benefits as competitive and consumer-oriented, saying the service "would provide competition to other providers and bring better pricing and multiple options." Combe described his personal experience as a business owner paying for Comcast plus a CenturyLink backup line and said proposed fiber pricing would be substantially lower; the council heard Connext pricing estimates of about $65–$70 per month. City Attorney Bryan Baron recommended issuing a request for proposals (RFP) to ensure the city selects the best contractual arrangement and to document options for potential federal BEAD grant eligibility.
Discussion also covered franchise and deployment risks: councilors and staff noted the city already has a non‑exclusive agreement with Xfinity, cautioned about UTOPIA‑style agreements that may require minimum subscriber commitments, and debated aerial versus underground installation and associated right‑of‑way coordination. The council instructed staff to identify additional low‑risk providers, get further legal guidance, and proceed via an RFP or equivalent procurement step before finalizing any franchise or construction agreement.
