EVANSVILLE -- Vanderburgh County is working on a plan to expand broadband access in some unserved or underserved areas.
A committee of local officials is negotiating with Watch Communications, which responded to a request for proposals issued by county commissioners. A contract could be awarded sometime this month.
Rural broadband already was a priority of county officials, but urgency was ramped up by the coronavirus pandemic, which is forcing many people to work and study from their homes.
Vanderburgh County's contract is to be funded with $1.6 million from a tax increment financing district along U.S. 41, near Azteca Milling. The Vanderburgh County Redevelopment Commission has voted to commit those funds.
"We’re not trying to reach the greatest number of people in the densest area. It’s the reverse, people who have been left out entirely or nearly left out," County Commissioner Cheryl Musgrave said.
The Economic Development Coalition of Southwest Indiana is working closely with county commissioners on the project.
"Our office has made broadband a priority. We view it as critical infrastructure. We are investigating any and all opportunities," said Audrie Burkett, the coalition's vice president and chief operating officer.
Vanderburgh County government initiated the RFP process after unsuccessfully pursuing a state grant for broadband. Posey County fared better, receiving a $3.31 million state grant which will combine with a $2.94 million local match on a $6.25 million broadband expansion project.
Maps used by state officials to evaluate grant applications pushed Vanderburgh County out of contention.
Those maps "overstate what our availability is," Burkett said. "If you look at mapping for our area, it looks like everybody has coverage, and we know that is not the case. So we started collecting our own data."
The coalition opened a survey at https://www.southwestindiana.org/broadband/, aimed at helping local officials identify areas were broadband does not exist, and county commissioners sought proposals from technology providers.
"With COVID, we quickly pivoted and said we have to do something," Burkett said.
Local officials will look first at rural areas of northern Vanderburgh, within and near the the U.S. 41 tax increment finance district.
They said Watch Communications, which has offices in Rushville, Indiana, and Lima, Ohio, wants to grow broadband here through tower construction and/or adding devices to existing towers.
Funding availability will determine how many dead spots in Vanderburgh County can be served, and how quickly.
Burkett, who said she's been working on broadband issues for the last 18 months or so, cited the urgent need.
A contract could be awarded by county commissioners as soon as Dec. 8, although Burkett said it might be a bit later than that.
"What we have said is we'd like to get people connected as soon as possible," Burkett said.
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