by John McLoone

The Dakota County Board of Commissioners is ushering forward a broadband expansion plan that it will help fund with CARES Act dollars, Charter Communications, while other companies are being asked to “put more skin in the game.”

Charter came up with the most tangible plan and had its own dollars invested in a presentation to the county, which is seeking to get better broadband service to areas in the county where it’s needed, especially with many students having to attend virtual school.

The board was set to act this week on a proposal from Charter, which could be ready to move on its project soon.

The Charter project could be done by Dec. 1 and would serve 104 homes “in the McAndrews addition” in Rosemount. Of the $350,000 cost for bringing fiber and high-speed internet to 104 homes, a $203,000 Dakota County contribution would be needed.

T-Mobile proposed expanded wireless internet in the county, Hiawatha Broadband Communications proposed expanding to reach up to 835 additional homes, farms and business in the Nininger, Hampton, Miesville and Welch areas, and a few other companies made pitches to the county.

Hiawatha had proposed a vendor contribution of $200,000 for a $1 million project.

Commissioners were shown a map of underserved areas (see graphic with this article) by county Chief Information Officer Dan Cater.

“The following map is a point of information really,” he said. “I’m happy to say that the students living in areas where the color is green there, that means that most of them are able to do their homework. But I really, really feel bad for any dots, small or large in red of yellow areas, because they are struggling,” he said.

It was pointed out by one commissioner that many of those “red” zones have no people living there.

With the exception of the Charter proposal and perhaps that of Hiawatha, commissioners on the whole weren’t impressed.

“I thought it would be better than it was,” said Commission Chair Mike Slavik. “Maybe it was the way our letter (seeking proposals) was written, but my expectation was that these providers were going to have some skin in the game. This wasn’t just going to be a government providing a whole bunch of free stuff for them and then they’d get all the customers,” Slavik said. “I’m going to say I appreciate those like Charter that actually brought money to the table “I really like the Charter proposal, and I think we can move that one forward,” Commissioner Liz Workman said. “But to your point, I agree with you that the providers should have some skin in the game.”

She suggested that the providers be contacted again.

“I’m not opposed to asking them ‘ Can you put some skin in the game.’” One problem also is that with the exception of the Charter proposal, no one would be ready for this construction season when students need the internet.

Places in Dakota County identified as being underserved with broadband internet.