Commissioners authorize $158,916 fiber upgrade at Santa Fe Building

Potter County commissioners approved a contract on July 14 to replace aging 1-gigabit fiber in the Santa Fe Building with fiber capable of supporting up to 100 gigabits, a county staff member said. The low bid from Master e Networks was $158,916, and funding will come from capital equipment appropriations tied to RFP 024010.
A county IT representative told the court the project had been included in an earlier packet at a higher estimate — roughly $325,000 — and that the final bid came in “considerably less.” The court approved the project 5-0.
County staff said the upgrade will “future-proof” the county’s core fiber plant because many county systems operate through the Santa Fe Building. The work was described as part of planned capital improvements and not ARPA-funded. The contract will move forward under the county’s procurement rules.