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Green County moves forward on rural broadband expansion
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MONROE - Community members from Green County are working together to improve broadband service in the county by applying for the Wisconsin Broadband Expansion Grant.

A Green County Broadband Steering Committee has been created with the primary objective of receiving increased broadband service to as many homes and businesses, with an emphasis on reaching especially under-served regions of the county. The steering committee is comprised of Amy Brandt, project/marketing manager, Green County Development Corp.; Tom Daly, towns association chair; Todd Kriebs, president, Family Fresh Pack; Mark Rohloff, sheriff; Stephen Scanlan, village of Monticello trustee; and Victoria Solomon, Community Resource Development Education, University of Wisconsin-Extension.

The grant would allow increased broadband service by providing more funding. This will allow broadband service providers to make a profit while providing service to a smaller customer base in rural communities.

As part of the grant application process, the steering committee is contracting with Southwestern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission to assist the committee through the complex process of gathering required grant application information and then writing, reviewing and submitting the grant application. SWWRPC successfully partnered with Lafayette County on its grant project.

Members of the Green County Leaders class are contacting each municipality asking them to write letters of support and to pass resolutions in support of the project. After that, the next steps will include: Summarizing the need for broadband in the region; determining the project scope; estimating the number of individuals, households and businesses that will be served; and determining a partner internet service provider. Already in these early stages, the project has been positively received across the county, with many municipalities already passing resolutions in support of the initiative.

For more information, contact Savannah Ernzen at s.ernzen@swwrpc.org or 608-342-1057.