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Columbia County supervisor and chair of the ad hoc broadband committee Char Holtan takes a look Thursday at how Iowa County Administrator Larry Bierke is piecing together his county's internet access.
Columbia County officials are learning about how all citizens can get access to high-speed internet. A new committee is inviting a major internet provider along with local officials to its next meeting.
The ad hoc broadband committee was formed in August after Sup. Char Holtan suggested using $500,000 of American Rescue Plan Act funds to help get high-speed internet to citizens. The committee is expected to invite clerks from all 35 municipalities across the county to its next meeting in November to explain the committee’s goal and possible funding.
A survey was sent out to all 35 municipalities but County Clerk Sue Moll said only 13 responded. Of those 13, a number said they would like to learn more by attending a meeting or possibly helping financially get the county connected.
The county received $11.1 million in ARPA funds and currently has about $216,000 left. A full list of how Columbia County has used ARPA funds is available on the county website on the accounting department page.
Committee members discussed inviting representatives from Spectrum to attend their meeting on Nov. 17.
Holtan said her internet in Friesland is good but not great. She said she has heard from other people who have told her they still have DSL internet. The committee also briefly discussed reliability issues with satellite internet.
Maddisyn Horstmann, the setter for the Beaver Dam girls volleyball team took the time to answer some questions.
On Thursday afternoon the committee met to get insight from various groups including a state official with the Wisconsin Broadband Office, staff from a telephone company and an Iowa county official who is attempting to get all of Iowa County hooked up to fiber-optic internet.
Jaron McCallum from the Wisconsin Broadband Office, a part of the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, explained that the county has a number of financial opportunities with state and federal grants.
Committee members asked McCallum about coverage maps and why they are difficult to get a hold of. He said the maps are a good starting point but are simply not accurate enough to find out which addresses in the county have internet access and what the speed is.
The committee has been asked by the County Board to provide it with data, mainly financial information, about connecting the county with fiber-optic lines. Sup. Tess Car sits on the committee and discussed how fiber optic is its preferred connection.
“Fiber-optic connection is what we’re going for,” Carr said. “It seems like wireless and relying on hot spots would be a last resort.”
Larry Bierke, Iowa County administrator, was also asked to speak to the committee. He was given the assignment of getting all Iowa County residents high-speed internet back in 2016. Bierke explained he has worked with numerous providers and explained the confusion with working with those companies.
“It’s the maps that you’ll want to look at and they won’t let you,” Bierke said. He also said Iowa County attempted to do wireless connections with hot spots but it didn’t work.
“Fiber optics are the gold standard,” Bierke said.
The third group was the Marquette-Adams Telephone Cooperative. It has been providing internet for customers since 2011 and since 2014 has had all fiber-optic lines.
CEO Jerry Schneider said that the cooperative is already in Columbia County and could help with parts of the county but could not help with the entire county.
“We can reach out to the northern part of Columbia County,” Schneider said. “We have no ambitions to serve all of Columbia County. It’s just too big of a bite for us.”
Committee members also learned a new set of internet service maps could be released in the near future that would be more accurate than the maps currently available. Those maps would be helpful in assessing where the county has connectivity concerns.
The City of Portage held its annual Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 30 at Blue Star Park.
The City of Portage held its annual Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 30 at Blue Star Park.
The City of Portage held its annual Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 30 at Blue Star Park.
The City of Portage held its annual Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 30 at Blue Star Park.
The City of Portage held its annual Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 30 at Blue Star Park.
The City of Portage held its annual Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 30 at Blue Star Park.
The City of Portage held its annual Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 30 at Blue Star Park.
The City of Portage held its annual Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 30 at Blue Star Park.
The City of Portage held its annual Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 30 at Blue Star Park.
The City of Portage held its annual Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 30 at Blue Star Park.
The City of Portage held its annual Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 30 at Blue Star Park.
The City of Portage held its annual Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 30 at Blue Star Park.
The City of Portage held its annual Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 30 at Blue Star Park.
The City of Portage held its annual Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 30 at Blue Star Park.
The City of Portage held its annual Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 30 at Blue Star Park.
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Columbia County supervisor and chair of the ad hoc broadband committee Char Holtan takes a look Thursday at how Iowa County Administrator Larry Bierke is piecing together his county's internet access.
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