It’s now officially official:
Schoharie County has been awarded $30 million to build out “last mile” high-speed internet under New York State’s ConnectALL funding.
It was the largest of five grants awarded last Wednesday and brings to $42 million the total grants we’ve received since November 1, County Administrator Korsah Akumfi said Friday.
Supervisors agreed in October to cover the remaining $3.6 million of the project’s cost if necessary, but Mr. Akumfi said they’re still aggressively looking for additional grants.
Other recipients include:
City of Johnstown, $29.9 million; Orleans County, $11 million; Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board, $26 million; Franklin County, $13.1 million; and Sullivan County, $29.9 million.
“It’s very exciting,” Mr. Akumfi said, adding “There’s a lot of heavy lifting ahead of us.”
While the Municipal Infrastructure Program grant is intended to establish 100 percent broadband across the county, Mr. Akumfi said there’s still about 72 addresses it won’t reach, “homes with very long, driveways” with no electricity and so, no overhead lines for fiber optic.
It’s a problem they’re working with partner MIDTEL to solve, he said.
Answering questions from supervisors, Mr. Akumfi said yes, MIDTEL will be able to provide high-speed internet to places like the Town of Jefferson that rely on Verizon for phone service.
“We will have some areas with multiple providers [phone, internet] to the same addresses,” he said.
Offering advice from her years in economic development, Gilboa Supervisor Alicia Terry said while phone providers have franchises and territories, internet providers do not.
“They may come to your house through the same line—or they may not,” she said.
“I just think that this is a great day for all of us. It’s very exciting.”
It was April that supervisors agreed to go for broke and seek the $30 million for full broadband build-out.
SEEC, an economic development partner, helped lead that charge and Friday, Paul Conroy, a member of its Board of Directors, said it will change everything.
“This project is about embracing a digital future while honoring our rural identity,” Mr. Conroy said.
“It’s a modern-day revolution that will help rural landscapes thrive for generations to come.”
Jim Becker, MIDTEL president, called the project transformative, pointing out that the 300 miles of new fiber optic lines will extend broadband access to more than 5,000 addresses.
“We’re excited to partner with the county to construct and operate a network that will have lasting impacts,” Mr. Becker said.
That impact is expected to extend to local schools and businesses and according to SEEC’s projections, will increase both small business sales and employment by more than 30 percent over three years.
That growth could mean an additional $7.8 million in added tax revenue over those three years, according to SEEC consultant NDP Analytics.
The grant disbursement is expected in January or February.
In October, the county received an $11.6 million United States Department of Transportation grant to replace Schoharie’s Bridge Street bridge; just a few days later, the Town of Richmondville hit the jackpot with a $7.05 million grant for its Warnerville wastewater project.