Another Broadband Project Update at Schoharie County Meeting

SCHOHARIE COUNTY — Additional funding for Schoharie County's $33.6 million broadband project is "highly probable of us acquiring" county Supervisor Donald Airey of Blenheim said at the Friday, June 19 county Board of Supervisors meeting.

The ongoing project is aimed at providing every county resident with the ability to connect with the Internet. It's being funded with a $30 million grant from the ConnectAll Program of Empire State Development and $3.6 million with county funds.

However, the county has applied for additional funding from ESD to cover the anticipated higher costs of burying a lot more fiber optic cable underground rather than stringing it on poles as it's been increasingly difficult to reach pole attachment agreements with pole owners like National Grid, Verizon and others.

"$10 million in additional funding is in play," Airey added. The BOS later in the meeting approved his motion to use the additional funding to "ensure the successful and timely completion" of the project by its original target completion date of Dec. 31 of this year.

At the same time, county Economic Development Coordinator John Crescimanno repeated during his update that the schedule is "at risk." The county has asked for a time extension from ESD though judging from the passing of Airey's motion it hopes not to have to use it.

Crescimanno added during his update the county received the second milestone reimbursement payment from ESD of about $6.6 million on May 29. The grant from ESD is a reimbursable one, with the county paying money up front and getting reimbursed at different milestones along the way.

Four teams are now out in the field working on the project, Crescimanno said, with two working on aerial (on poles) fiberoptic cable installations and two on underground installation.

"The biggest concern remains pole attachment agreements and we've requested from ESD to go more buried," Crescimanno added.

In other actions from the June 19 meeting, the county BOS after a public hearing approved the adding of parcels totaling 407 acres to the county's Agricultural districts. The parcels are in the Towns of Cobleskill, Esperance, Jefferson, Middleburgh and Schoharie, said Supervisor Alicia Terry of Gilboa, Chair of the Agricultural Committee.

After an executive session, the BOS at the tail end of the meeting approved a motion put forth by Supervisor Jeffrey Haslun, Chair of the Personnel Committee, to hire a temporary Deputy Director of Planning and Community Development Services.

According to county Administrator Bryan Best, the move is being made because the county is having a hard time attracting qualified candidates to fill the vacancy created by the June 14 retirement of long-time Director of Planning and Community Development Services Shane Nickle. A temporary deputy director can head up the office until a permanent replacement for Nickle can be found, Best said.