A portion of Allen County may be a step closer to broadband internet access. The county commission agreed Tuesday to give their support via a letter and a $1,000 pledge to a broadband grant application process with provider KwiKom Communications.
The $1.8 million broadband project will bring internet to the area between Gas and Humboldt, as well as near the airport. Initiated in 2020, the Kansas Broadband Acceleration Grant program aims to allocate $85 million over a decade to narrow the digital divide within the state. The program plays a crucial role in Kansas’ strategy to eliminate broadband gaps. It focuses on directing funds to regions that are unlikely to have access to broadband service without financial support from the state or federal government.
If awarded, the grant would be a 50-50 matching grant between KWIKOM and the statet. Any county contribution will offset KwiKom’s share of the project. John Terry, KwiKom Director of Government Affairs and Business, clarified to the commissioners that if other companies were to come before them requesting the same co-investment, they wouldn’t be on the hook for all of them. “Only one will actually get it,” he said. “Co-investment doesn’t happen if the grant doesn’t happen.”
Co-investment is required from the state for the grant application process. Terry added that he had received letters of support from Humboldt and the Iola school superintendents and that Humboldt Council members approved $2,000 for the project.
Letters of support have also been submitted by a fair amount of residents in the affected area, he added.
“We’re basically just trying to check a box for the state,” said Terry. “They want us to show that the community believes this project has merit. It’s not necessarily just to offset the cost.” He specified that funds were not solicited from the school districts — just support letters.
Commissioner Bruce Symes suggested the commission submit a letter of support and pledge $1,000. “If that’s what the county is comfortable with, that checks the box and that does help,” Terry said.
IN OTHER NEWS, Thrive Director of Community Engagement Marcia Davis spoke to the commission about the recent Carlyle community conversation. She noted that 10 residents were in attendance as well as commissioner David Lee and Road and Bridges Director Mark Griffith. “Some of the things they thought that could be improved were potholes, roads, and speeding through town,” she said. “All these things are doable and things that we can work on.”
Concerns were also aimed at the lack of stop signs on Texas Road. “They’re really concerned with where the Prairie Spirit Trail crosses Texas and how people may not know that it’s there,” said Davis. “It is a prime spot for someone to get hurt and they don’t want to wait until someone gets hurt for something to be done.” Commissioners agreed to install two stop signs at Texas and Adams in Carlyle, creating a four-way stop intersection.
Jeff Keithly, director of ART, and Jessica Thompson, Deputy Director of Thrive, discussed the two public transportation services in the county. Allen Regional Transportation (ART) is a non-profit service started by Thrive Allen County that provides public transportation to all Allen County residents.
Keithly submitted a letter to the commission last week that he had received from the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT). In the letter, KDOT said that either the county or ART would need to cease operations of their transportation service. Commissioner Jerry Daniels expressed concern that the county had not received a letter from KDOT.
Thompson explained that KDOT told Thrive that when counties provide transportation for the elderly or disabled they must submit an affidavit stating that no non-profits in the area are providing a similar service.
“That was news to us as well,” said Thompson.
“The state really just wants to fund one such service in Allen County,” Thompson said. “We don’t want to be in conflict with you guys on this. If you want to keep the senior bus, we won’t do these services. But, if you want to merge with us, then we would take that over.”
Daniels said this was a decision they wouldn’t be able to decide right away, but would reach out to KDOT for more information. Commissioners agreed to revisit the subject once they have more information.
