Commissioners review request to amend road-use agreement as telecom seeks to add roads for fiber expansion

Freestone County commissioners and staff discussed a proposed amendment to a road‑use agreement with Ballard Telecommunications of Texas that would add several roads around Richland Chambers Lake and in nearby subdivisions to the company's existing agreement.

County staff reported the original agreement (discussed at the March 4 meeting) included listed county roads and that Ballard has obtained a $1,000,000 bond approved by the insurer, though staff did not have the hard copy of the bond in hand. The staff member asked for clarification on which roads are county-maintained and whether homeowners' associations had been approached.

A Ballard representative described plans to overlay the existing copper network with fiber to provide higher-speed internet. He said the preferred installation method is aerial placement where possible and burial where necessary, and emphasized the company would not proceed with construction until it had county approval and homeowner association consent. He identified candidate routes including Shenandoah Road, Cambridge Drive, CR 192 Lakefront Drive and Susie Road; county staff said CR 192 is the only road clearly confirmed as a county road in the packet of exhibits reviewed.

Commissioners pressed staff on whether homeowners' associations and affected residents had been contacted and whether the county needed to secure approvals before granting an amendment. Staff said they would not approve work on private roads and that the next step for the company would be to obtain HOA approval after county sign-off on county roads.

No formal vote to amend the agreement was taken at the meeting; the discussion centered on confirming road ownership, receipt of the bond documentation and ensuring homeowner notification and HOA signoffs before any construction begins.

Next steps: Staff will verify county-road designations and provide any missing bond documentation; the company must secure HOA approvals and the court may consider a formal amendment after staff confirms road ownership and required paperwork is in the record.