The Worcester County Commissioners unanimously approved a spending plan to provide broadband service to homes that do not have the ability to use high-speed internet.
Choptank Electric Cooperative’s targeted area to provide high-speed internet service in the central part of the county is pictured in red. It’s hoped 80 homes can be served in the project.
Map courtesy Worcester County Government
By Steve Green, Executive Editor
An update was provided this week on the ongoing plan to meet the high-speed internet needs of all county residents.
While pitching a proposal to use $1 million in county funds, Worcester County Information Technology Director Brian Jones told the County Commissioners significant progress has been made on the county’s goal of having all homes with the ability to use high-speed internet. He said initial examination years ago found there were 6,400 homes in the county without the ability to use high-speed internet for computers and television streaming services.
“We are knocking those numbers down low as we go but we expect after today to have about 1,400 to 1,600 homes without internet services,” Jones said.
Jones came before the commissioners for approval of a staff-supported plan to spend $1 million officials approved on March 17.
“What I would like to ask permission to do is a 50/50 grant between our two providers, Choptank and Talkie, and we have come up with a plan to piggyback with services they already have. What I mean by that is areas they are already in that it would help them expand and also help the citizens as well … these are not areas tied to any other grant today,” said Jones. “We want to make sure whatever services we provide are not part of any grant that’s out there today.”
Jones said the county has only spent $96,000 to date. The rest of the funding has come through grant funding as well as state and federal sources. Included in the proposal outlined for the commissioners was $500,000 to Choptank to cover 13 miles of fiber and hit 80 homes. Talkie would like to cover 19 miles of fiber and 98 homes at an estimated cost of $596,969. Jones said the providers understand the county’s allocation will not exceed $500,000 so Talkie understand it’s responsible for covering the planned overage amount.
The proposed split of the funding was approved by a 7-0 vote after a motion by Commissioner Ted Elder and a second by Commissioner Caryn Abbott.
Commission President Chip Bertino spotlighted the success of the county’s efforts without having to spend the overwhelming amount of funding initially reported as the overall expense.
“Five years ago, this county government said we would put up to $50 million to get this county connected,” Bertino recalled. “You just said we have just spent $96,000. The aggressiveness of this grant solicitation has gone a long way.”
Along those lines, Jones said during his presentation the county recently secured a $1.2 million grant to keep the broadband effort moving through the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development’s Difficult to Serve Properties Grant Program.
County Commissioner Joe Mitrecic asked Jones and his colleagues to consider having the two primary service providers in for an in-person update in the near future.
“I voted for this because everyone deserves it, but you are talking about $36,000 a mile to run the cable. That’s our cost, not including the state’s portion. That’s about $650 per household and that’s our costs … a lot of money being slung out there,” Mitrecic said. “They seem to operate out there and we haven’t seen them other than asking for money. I would really like to hear an update from Talkie and Choptank on this, where they are going. I would like to hear what their final outcome would be and when they think it’s going to end.
Bertino agreed and asked staff to schedule an update as available.