David Bottar, the board's executive director, detailed the plan at the Cayuga County Legislature's Ways and Means Committee Tuesday. The board wants to build a 335-mile fiber optic network that would address the lack of high-speed internet access in rural areas. The line would extend from Cortland County through Cayuga County and north to Oswego County.
When the board applied for the grant, Bottar called it "the longest of longshots." He was surprised when the state responded that they cleared the first hurdle — a conditional funding reservation was made, he said, which means the application is under further review.
The state responded with 10 questions, most of which were technical. The other questions were about financing the project. The project would be fully covered by the grant, but the state would reimburse the board for the construction costs.
For the board's application to advance in the process, they must show they have interim financing to support the project.
"We don't have this kind of funding," Bottar told lawmakers.
To make a stronger case to the state, the board is seeking loans from Cayuga, Cortland and Oswego counties to show there is funding available to build out the fiber optic network. If the application is approved and the project advances, the board would be reimbursed by the state and relay those funds — with interest — to the counties.
Bottar explained they want to have $15 million in the bank to convince the state that enough funding is available for the project. His request for Cayuga County was more than $7 million, which is based on how much of the network would be built in the county. They are seeking nearly $5 million from Oswego County and $3 million from Cortland County to bolster the application.
"If we can get (memorandums of understanding) from our three counties that are consistent with what I outlined, then they will advance our application to what I think would be the formal funding award stage," he said.
Lawmakers did not vote on whether to grant the request. At the same meeting, the legislators discussed the difficult budget process ahead and whether an austerity resolution is needed to address a growing deficit.
According to the state Public Service Commission, 96% of Cayuga County households have broadband access. More than 1,600 homes are unserved, which means they lack high-speed internet service.
The goal of the project would be to ensure that every Cayuga County resident has broadband access.
"This would be a big, big win for the region and a big, big win for Cayuga," Bottar said.
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