The Marshall County Council has declined to help fund greater access to broadband in the Town of Argos.
Last week, Jim Burroughs, the Town’s Utility, Park, and Street Superintendent appeared before the Marshall County Commissioners to request assistance for the project. Argos has been working for some time on a three-phase project that will bring greater access to broadband to homes and businesses.
Burroughs told the County Council Monday morning the town believes this fits Marshall County’s goals.
“We believe that it fits within the county’s policy of what they’re trying to do – which is bring broadband to all county residents,” says Burroughs. “The County Commissioners so graciously approved $75-thousand to go towards our project.”
The community initially declined participation in the Metronet fiber optic project due to its cost. Instead, Rochester Telephone Company was contacted by Argos regarding broadband fiber optic upgrades when the Town’s departments were experiencing dropped calls.
The purchase of 75-acres of land for industrial development and the installation of fiber optic cable broadband to the community is considered Phase One. Phase Two involved taking the cable across U.S. 31, and in multiple directions. Both of those have been completed at a cost to the Town of $200-thousand. Phase Three is expected to complete the plan by providing fiber optic connectivity to homes and businesses at a cost to RTC.
Council member Jon Van Vactor says he has a problem with the request when comparing it to the Metronet cooperative efforts.
“In this deal, the county is not getting anything,” says Van Vactor. “It was a savings to us to partner with everyone else in the beginning for the expenses the county was going to incur in the long-run.”
Argos was requesting $75-thousand as a supplement to the town’s costs, but says this is a net benefit to the county due to its potential for business attraction.
The request was denied after failing to receive a motion.
