Township Administrator’s Corner

Broadband infrastructure

As Congress appears poised to approve a federal infrastructure bill, expansion of broadband networks throughout the country seems to be on the list of top priorities, with an estimated $65 billion allocated for the initiative. At a local level, the debate about broadband expansion took center stage when several legislators added a proposed amendment to the Ohio omnibus budget bill passed July 1, 2021 designed to exclude municipalities from developing and operating local broadband networks. In essence, the proposed amendment would have left municipalities that currently manage broadband networks unable to provide those services.

The city of Fairlawn and its broadband gig project was one of those municipalities that would have been negatively impacted by the legislation. Originally investing roughly $10 million in the network utility, Fairlawn offers internet and phone service to residents and businesses in its limited coverage area of 4.5 square miles, with some expanded service in the Joint Economic Development Districts in Bath and Copley townships. Through strong opposition from mayors and county representatives around the state, a sigh of relief was expressed when the amendment was removed prior to the governor signing the omnibus budget bill.

To build upon the existing Fairlawn Gig broadband network, federal American Rescue Plan Act funds may be used for a countywide build-out of a publicly owned network in the near future. Discussion among local government officials was recently held concerning a countywide public safety loop network that would extend fiber cable through each of the 31 Summit County communities, offering local officials the ability to connect government offices and school districts to the fiber network. The plan would provide a 125-mile fiber cable access loop network designed to enhance public safety in Summit County. As proposed, Summit County would own the network and Fairlawn Gig would manage the system and invoice governmental customers for the service.

Expansion of the loop network would be limited to public safety/government and education offices and would not include private service to commercial or residential locations. A representative with the Summit County Executive’s Office commented that federal ARPA funding will be a once in a lifetime opportunity to invest in something that could transform Summit County. The county broadband project is viewed as vital, impacting areas of need and opportunity, including public safety, education, health and economic development. If approved, the countywide project is believed to be the first of its kind in the country.

As a first step in evaluating the feasibility of the broadband project, county officials will be meeting with local government stakeholders to consider the needs of each community. As part of that discussion, learning how local governments use broadband service and data storage, as well as an analysis of the cost of the services for each community, will be considered. What the plan will not include is an expansion of the fiber network to local residential and commercial locations. The countywide proposal is deemed a first step in creating the base infrastructure on which private service providers might expand networks through individual communities in the future. 

Bath residents have inquired about township government expanding options for broadband service in the community. However, this would not be possible for several reasons. Unlike municipalities, townships possess only those limited powers and functions specifically enumerated by statute. Of those powers available to townships, the development and maintenance of a public utility is not included in that list. Additionally, financing a public utility and expanding a network would be an expensive proposition, particularly in a community like Bath Township. With roughly 23 square miles of heavy canopy and steep slope landscape areas, Bath Township would be a challenging area in which to extend any utility service. Should the project move forward, Summit County officials hope the broadband loop network would serve as a catalyst for private investment with companies willing to use the base infrastructure to expand service in the township. 

Bath Township local government continues to focus on improving the essential services it provides to its residents each day. Those services include police and fire protection, road maintenance, zoning and parks operations, which are constantly evolving to suit the needs of the community. Recognizing that changes in technology will necessarily increase the demand for information available to residents and businesses, the county broadband project is a tool to assist local governments filling this need. ∞