AGENDA DATE: 10/2/2019
TITLE:
Title
Albemarle Broadband Authority Quarterly Report
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Albemarle Broadband Authority Quarterly Report
ITEM TYPE: Consent Information Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Henry, Culp, Fritz
PRESENTER (S): Mike Culp, Bucky Walsh
LEGAL REVIEW: Not Required
REVIEWED BY: Jeffrey B Richardson
BACKGROUND: The Albemarle Broadband Authority (ABBA) was incorporated on August 21, 2017. The ABBA Board of Directors re-elected William "Bucky" Walsh as Chair during its annual organizational meeting on August 20, 2019. This report is being provided as information on ABBA's work April through September 2019.
STRATEGIC PLAN: Infrastructure Investment: Prioritize, plan and invest in critical infrastructure that responds to past and future changes and improves the capacity to serve community needs. Educational Opportunities: Provide lifelong learning opportunities for all our citizens. Quality Government Operations: Ensure County government's ability to provide high quality service that achieves community priorities.
DISCUSSION: ABBA has held eleven public meetings in 2019. The ABBA agendas and meeting minutes are posted for public review on the County's website.
Beginning in June and through August 2019, ABBA collected broadband input from citizens throughout the County. The broadband input documented the areas of the County where broadband service is lacking.
The broadband input became documentation included in an application for a Virginia Telecommunication Initiative (VATI) 2020 Grant. The VATI 2020 application was submitted on September 3, 2019 with CenturyLink as co-applicant. The application requests $291,300 in grant funding, commits $291,300 as ABBA "match", and with CenturyLink committing $1,359,400; results in a total project cost of $1,942,000.
The expected VATI 2020 Grants announcement date is late December 2019. If VATI 2020 funds are offered and accepted by ABBA and CenturyLink...
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