Information
Limited. Lewis County's contribution is in-kind in the form of staff time managing the project, which is funded through either the grant itself or ARPA funds related to grant reporting and compliance. In contrast, the internet service provider, ToledoTel, is contributing a cash match of $2.35 million towards the project (plus its own additional in-kind staff contributions).
Type: Deliberation
Department: CM - County Manager (including Budget)
Directors' Update: Sept. 21, 2022
Business Meeting: Sept. 27, 2022
Summary:This resolution approves a grant agreement with the Washington State Broadband Office awarding Lewis County $23.5 million for the installation of fiber optic broadband infrastructure within Winlock and the surrounding rural areas.
Publications:
Cover Letter To:
Additional Copies To: Eric Eisenberg
Resolution
APPROVE A GRANT AGREEMENT WITH THE WASHINGTON STATE BROADBAND OFFICE AWARDING LEWIS COUNTY $23.5 MILLION TO INSTALL BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE IN AND AROUND WINLOCK
WHEREAS, high-speed broadband service is increasingly essential for full participation in modern life, including access for education, employment, medical care and recreation; and
WHEREAS, rural areas face a digital divide in which extending high-speed broadband service to them is cost-prohibitive, and so are left out of the digital arena; and
WHEREAS, recent years have seen an influx of public funding to overcome the difficulty in extending such service, including the Washington State Broadband Office (WSBO) Infrastructure Acceleration Grants; and
WHEREAS, through a concerted effort of Lewis County, the Lewis County PUD, the Economic Alliance of Lewis County, and ToledoTel, Lewis County won a grant award of $23.5 million for the installation of fiber optic broadband infrastructure to every parcel within Winlock and the surrounding rural areas, which infrastructure is capable of upload and download speeds of at least 1GB per second; and
WHEREAS, Lewis County, ToledoTel and WSBO have worked through regulatory and unprecedented supply chain disruptions to reach agreement on a Grant Agreement to implement the award; and
WHEREAS, the broadband services from this project will be a game-changing boost to the Winlock area's growth, economic development and quality of life; and
WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners finds the Grant Agreement to be in the public interest.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED the Board of County Commissioners approves of the Grant Agreement and authorizes the County Manager to sign on its behalf.
DONE IN OPEN SESSION this 27th day of September, 2022.