Remaining broadband dollars determined

EAU CLAIRE — The county received an update on where it was in increasing broadband access and the funds that may be left for one more potential project.

In 2021 and 2022, the county received funding from the American Rescue Plan Act, said Jason Szymanski, Eau Claire County’s finance director. In the years after, the county has allocated all of the funds, which need to be spent by 2025.

The county assigned $2.8 million to go to the county’s broadband committee, said Rod Eslinger, Eau Claire County’s planning and development director.

The reason they chose $2.8 million was because that was around the same amount of ARPA dollars that was given to the towns in rural areas, said Eslinger. The funds went towards establishing broadband throughout the county.

One planned project that has not gone before the county board yet would cost $1,346,161. According to Eslinger, the project would provide Bloomer Broadband to 218 locations in the towns of Lincoln and Luddington and 66 locations in the Village of Fall Creek.

Another project has been requested by United Way to give them $77,160 which will fund them for the first half of 2025, said Eslinger. This funding will lead to them becoming “fully-sustainable” after that first six months.

Eslinger said United Way offers services including making sure people who need technology get it and help increase “digital literacy”. This project is planned to be decided on during the county’s next meeting on May 21.

99% of the county will have the option for broadband internet when all of the projects are completed, said Eslinger. Some projects are still being worked on but are planned to be finished in either 2024 or 2025.

If the two projects are approved, the remaining funds left over from the ARPA dollars will be $160,614. The county has been looking into what ARPA funds will be left over from projects, but these funds may still find a space in broadband.

According to Eslinger, there is a project that could provide more broadband to Fall Creek, but the plan is dependent on whether the village has the funds to set it up.