County approves Slick Fiber proposal to extend ARPA broadband to about 70 addresses

The Washington County Personnel Committee voted to use remaining ARPA broadband funds to support a Slick Fiber proposal estimated to bring fiber to about 70 households at a county cost of $457,000.

Staff said the federal/state broadband funding landscape has shifted and that prior fiber pass bids for the Granville/Whitehall/Hampton area had per-passing costs as high as $26,000 under a state bid; the Slick Fiber proposal would reduce that cost dramatically to roughly $6,000 per passing of county-supported ARPA funds. Staff noted permitting delays driven by the utility (National Grid) that make pole attachments impractical for immediate completion; Slick Fiber's plan would place fiber in the right-of-way (buried) so installation could proceed.

Why it matters: County officials said the county must spend ARPA broadband funds by year-end or return them to the federal government. Staff recommended using the money to secure 70 new fiber passings now rather than risk losing the funds. Supervisors asked whether the ARPA funds could be used as proposed, whether Slick Fiber is contributing to build costs and how long-term service and low-income pricing would be handled.

Decision: After discussion, including concerns about cost-per-household and future operating costs for residents, the committee approved the Slick Fiber proposal and the ARPA carryover necessary to support it. Staff will finalize contractual details and confirm the spend timeline and permitting plan.