The county Legislature voted Tuesday to submit a commitment letter to the Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board, which is overseeing the project. The county will pursue short-term financing for its share of the project. The board will reimburse the county, plus interest, over a two-year period.
David Bottar, executive director of the Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board, detailed the project at the special county Legislature meeting. It will extend from Cortland County into Cayuga County. A portion of the project — called the trunk line — will stretch east to Syracuse.
When the broadband network is built, it will cover approximately 275 miles — 200 of which will be in Cayuga County.
The Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board applied for a $26.1 million grant through the state's ConnectALL Municipal Infrastructure Grant Program. At the time, the proposed project included Cayuga, Cortland and Oswego counties.
Bottar said they were close to being awarded the grant in the first round, but didn't get it. In the second round, Oswego County opted to submit its own application. The board submitted a revised application for Cayuga and Cortland counties in the third round.
In November, the state announced the grant was awarded to the regional planning board for the broadband project. Bottar expects the board will get the final incentive proposal from the state in the next week or two.
A key component to finance the project is commitments from the counties. In June, Bottar asked Cayuga County for $7 million — he confirmed the state will allow counties to be reimbursed with interest. Cortland County has already committed to the project.
Bottar clarified that the board isn't expecting the money by the end of the year, but it will be needed to expedite the project. Because the state program is funded by the federal government, there is a December 2026 deadline to complete the project.
"The only way to meet that deadline is to get this project underway immediately," Bottar said.
The regional planning board will establish a nonprofit corporation for the network, which will be open to Internet service providers. Bottar explained that the project is viewed as "the backbone" that will allow Internet service providers to extend service to businesses and homes in the area.
Among legislators, there was bipartisan support to help fund the project. Cayuga County Legislature Chairwoman Aileen McNabb-Coleman acknowledged the county is facing budget pressures, which is why it will seek short-term financing.
The resolution to submit the commitment letter passed 8-1, with Legislator Hans Pecher, C-Genoa, casting the lone no vote. Legislators Stephanie DeVito and Brian Muldrow , both Auburn Democrats, were absent.
"It's a huge step forward for our county," McNabb-Coleman said after the vote.
©2024 The Citizen, Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
