County seeks better rural Internet
SUE WATSON Staff Writer
One of perhaps the most critical infrastructure needs in Marshall County is rural broadband Internet service. Supervisors discussed approaching various providers to solve the problem of access.
District 1 supervisor Charles Terry asked if the county is getting funding for broadband.
“Northcentral (Electric) is doing it,” he said. “Do we need to go to C-Spire or anyone to get service into subdivisions in rural areas? What would we have to do to provide that service?”
District 3 supervisor Keith Taylor noted the schools have gotten lots of money to get Internet access in the classrooms.
“We may want to see if schools would partner with us to go to Internet providers,” he said.
District 4 supervisor George Zinn III said Northcentral is trying to get “hotspots” and use utility poles. He wondered if the county could negotiate with the City of Holly Springs to get broadband lines on utility poles in its service area.
“It’s daylight and dark in Northcentral’s area,” Taylor said, “a big improvement.” Chancery clerk Chuck Thomas suggested bringing Brandon Presley, public service commissioner for the northern district, into the mix.
Zinn thought it best to get with the players (utilities, school districts, municipal governments, etc.) first to discuss the possibilities.
Outgoing county administrator Larry Hall suggested reaching out to potential partners and then coming back to the boardroom would be a good first step.
County administrator Tim Powell recommended bringing Presley to the county for consultation first.
“Let him tell us what our options are,” Powell said. “He’s pushing broadband across the state.” Board attorney Amanda Smith said most municipalities have received funding that could be deployed for infrastructure rollout. She said she paid to have a line run to her house by MaxxSouth so she could work at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“How do you use that funding?” Terry asked.
“Those are still some unanswered questions,” Smith said.
“We don’t have a final rule yet,” Powell said.
The rule refers to what projects counties and municipal governments are allowed to spend money on from the American Rescue Plan Act passed by the 117th Congress and signed by President Joe Biden. It authorized $1.9 trillion in stimulus funds to go to states.