Summit County Council approves First Digital franchise for fiber expansion

The Summit County Council unanimously approved a franchise agreement with First Digital, a local Utah fiber-optic company, after a brief staff presentation and questions from council members. Michael Kendall, who reviewed the agreement with county legal staff, said First Digital had signed the county’s standard franchise language and recommended adoption. “First Digital, it’s a local Utah company,” Kendall said, adding the company has worked on the Wasatch front and is expanding into Summit County.

Councilors asked whether First Digital had already done work in county rights-of-way and whether the county could impose an annual consideration. Kendall replied there is no existing infrastructure in Summit County and that staff had asked the company to confirm that. David L. Thomas explained the legal framework: cable TV franchises can be charged a 5% fee under the Federal Communications Act, but providers of this telecommunication class — internet and fiber providers like First Digital — are prohibited by federal law from being charged a franchise fee.

After the questions, Chair moved to adopt the agreement. The chair called for the vote and, with no opposition, “Motion’s unanimous,” the record showed. The council’s approval clears the agreement for execution and lets First Digital begin the next steps to provide service in parts of the county.

The action was procedural: staff recommended a standard form, the council confirmed there was no prior infrastructure to account for, and the council approved the franchise with a single unanimous roll call. Staff noted any implementation steps or permits required to place facilities in public ways would follow county permitting processes.