County looks to spend the last of its ARPA broadband funds

Oct. 25—MORGANTOWN — In a quarterly update to the Monongalia County Commission, Comcast Compliance Manager Dana Gossert explained that the design of a $17.8 million broadband expansion project is expected to be complete this year.

The project will bring broadband to 2,175 unserved or underserved homes and businesses across all areas of Monongalia County.

It is the result of a public/private partnership announced in June between the county and Comcast through which the commission will provide $5.98 million in American Rescue Plan Act dollars and the internet service provider will take over the remaining $11,840,000 in an effort to bring large swaths of the county online.

“Comcast had conducted a complete shutdown of the project area for 178 miles. Measurements and other data obtained during the shutdown have been provided to our design engineers, who have begun their review, analysis and design,” explained Gossert, noting that the analysis will determine where aerial and underground infrastructure is most suitable.

As the design nears completion, Gossert said Comcast will begin filing permits, including right-of-way permits, municipal street openings, railroad, easements and pole attachment licenses, as needed.

While the goal of the broadband project is to get as many residents as possible online at speed over the next two years, not everyone will be able to do so.

To that end, the commission has issued a request for proposals for a second, smaller project that seeks to fill the gaps or, as Commission Chairman Sean Sikora described them, the gaps.

“We recognize and hear from our citizens about all the little holes that exist in the community, and we can see those holes and we know that some of the areas are not big enough to really justify an ISP coming in and wanting to focus on those areas “said Sikora. “Most ISPs are focusing on the big areas, where they can get the most bang for their buck. As a business, I don’t deny that. This program was meant to find those holes.”

The commission is providing $1.25 million in ARPA funding for this effort.

Because ARPA dollars must be committed by the end of the year, the commission is requesting responses to the RFP by Nov. 13 and intends to award the project on Dec. 11.

The county’s broadband effort dates back to May 2021, when the commission hired Ohio-based Ice Miller for $250,657 to put together a comprehensive countywide broadband plan.

Throughout the planning process, the county contributed approximately $380,000 additionally, split between Ice Miller and broadband consulting firm LIT Communities.

“When we got our ARPA dollars, our commitment was to put half toward broadband connectivity and half toward economic development — and broadband is economic development,” Sikora said. “We have done it. Once we receive responses and proposals to approve, we will have allocated the last of these dollars and we will be taking a big step toward our goal.”