The Marshall County Commissioners were updated on a broadband expansion effort that was previously supported with $1 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds received by the county.
In June of last year, Gene Crusie from Surf Internet and Joe McCarter from RTC Communications/Rochester Telephone Company/Marshall County Fiber presented proposals for funding to expand broadband to underserved areas in Marshall County.
Crusie and McCarter both presented funding requests of $500,000. The projects would serve homes in LaPaz and homes between LaPaz and Bremen, or Lake of the Woods, and also the transport of fiber from the existing REMC Smart Grid to the Culver hut and the Lakes Region.
Both companies also put in match money to the areas proposed. At that time, the commissioners approved $1 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to support the projects.
Crusie gave an update on the project Monday morning as the commissioners approved work in the right-of-way for upcoming projects.
“What was approved today was for us to set our electronics equipment that will connect to the Choiceline network to go back to South Bend and down to Plymouth,” commented Crusie. “We’re ready to start construction in LaPaz and in the grant area and Lake of the Woods will follow later this summer. In the next two weeks when the permits come back from the Highway Department, we’ll be ready to go.”
