Broadband is coming to Yavapai County — and sooner than some may have expected.
Stan Goligoski, executive director of Yavapai County Education Service Agency’s Support Services Division, gave an update to the Sedona City Council on Sept. 14, on the county’s Broadband Final Mile Initiative to get broadband internet service to all homes and businesses within Yavapai County.
According to a city report, the broadband middle mile already exists in Yavapai County.
In 2018, the county received more than $1.8 million of funding to build reliable, high-speed broadband to 74 schools and libraries within the county. Because this infrastructure already exists, the proposed project is ready to be implemented.
“We had this same issue really seven years ago with our schools,” Goligoski said. “We came in wondering how we could reach those schools. What it really came down to was bringing broadband directly to the schools by individual internet service providers. That kind of put a Band-Aid on the big problem.”
He then added, “This is a plan that we have dusted off and we’d like to implement for all residents throughout Yavapai County.”
The total project cost is estimated at more than $50 million. Goligoski said Yavapai County has committed $20 million of its American Rescue Plan Act funds to the project.
“The more that we kick in, the more the price reduces for the customer,” he said of the county funds. “We realize it does not help if we do this whole initiative and the consumer cannot afford it.”
In addition to the county’s portion, another $6.12 million will come from municipalities matching fund contributions. Participating municipalities must contribute 20% of their ARPA funds. For Sedona, the county has been working from an assumption that 20% of the city’s ARPA allocation is $494,000, based on the preliminary estimate of federal funding. However, 20% of the final ARPA allocation is $690,600. Since the county has been working from an assumption of a lower amount, the full 20% may not be necessary.
In addition, the county is seeking upwards of $30 million in grants from the Arizona Commerce Authority for this project.
The following are participating municipalities within Yavapai County and the initiative partnership amount based on the American Rescue Plan Act:
■ Prescott Valley: $2,220,000
■ Prescott: $1,274,000
■ Chino Valley: $590,000
■ Cottonwood: $584,000
■ Camp Verde: 534,000
■ Sedona: $494,000
■ Clarkdale: $210,000
■ Dewey-Humboldt: $198,000
■ Jerome: $22,000
Funding for unincorporated areas, such as the Village of Oak Creek, will fall within the county’s portion.
“There’s nobody who’s going to be omitted,” Goligoski said. “There’s nobody that we’ r e neglecting or where we’re saying ‘we’ll get to you eventually.’ This is a blanket coverage of all of Yavapai County.”
Because the bulk of the funding is coming from federal funds, the federal government is requiring that the broadband speed be a minimum of 100 megabytes per second when downloading on a computer and 25 mbps when uploading.
However, Goligoski said the county’s goal is to see a minimum of 400 mbps in more rural areas and upwards of 1,000 mbps in urban areas.
The next step in this process is to put out a request for proposals, which creates a competition among interested internet service providers or network providers.
One is expected to be chosen two months after the RFP closing date. Within a year of a provider being chosen, local governments will be asked to develop and implement policies establishing the presence of adequate broadband prior to new developments.
Within two years broadband service will be available to the entire county and will be looked upon as a utility just like water, electric and sewer/septic.
Goligoski noted that the portion of Sedona that sits within Coconino County will be included within this plan.
Even though this item was for discussion only at this time, council was in favor of this plan and directed staff to move forward with it. An intergovernmental agreement between the county and city will come back for council approval at a later meeting.
