9. Updated IAC CharterInternet Action Committee
Purpose:
To work with approved Internet Service Providers, with City Council approval, that would make
reliable, cost-effective, high-speed internet available to every premise in Scandia at the lowest
possible cost to Scandia taxpayers.
Goals:
1. Every home and business owner in Scandia will have access to reliable broadband
services capable of achieving speeds of 1gbs/50mpbs at a minimum.
2. Minimize investment from Scandia’s taxpayers for expanding services. Limit spending to
budgeted General Funds.
3. Committee stays in place until the expansion is complete
4. Expand broadband to approximately 200 premises a year, completing the expansion by
2026
Tasks:
1. Develop and document a plan to make reliable, high-speed broadband service available to
every home and business in Scandia that wants it.
The plan should be updated and reviewed with the Council annually and include the
following written documentation:
a) Financial Impact of each phase, including capital investment cost shares, any operational
investment cost shares, and description of subscription services offered
b) Contractual business relationship between the Service Providers and the City of Scandia
c) Evaluation of funding sources leveraged, including Partnerships, and grants from
County, State, and Federal sources
2. Review the Phase 1 expansion proposal and identify opportunities and funding methods to
expand wired services to homes and businesses in close proximity to the proposed
expanded territory
3. Identify home businesses interested in reliable, high-speed broadband service to target
them for expansion at the earliest opportunity
4. Identify schoolchildren’s homes that need high-speed Internet to complete homework and
make them a priority
5. Minimize the use of property taxes to expand reliable, high-speed broadband service. Plan
and operate within the City’s General Fund annual budget
6. Spend as much “other people’s money” as possible. Grants from DEED, FCC Rural Digital
Opportunities Fund. Search for other funding
7. Work with MN Office of Broadband Development to accurately map all unserved (wired up
to 25 megabits down, 3 megabits up) homes and underserved (wired up to 100 megabits
down, 20 megabits up) homes and businesses
Adopted by the City Council on October 15, 2019
8. Post accurate, up-to-date city map in Scandia Community Center and on the City website to
inform the public of City’s progress with reliable, high-speed broadband service expansion
9. Review Midco’s franchise agreement for opportunities to leverage funds for expanding
Midco service to more homes and businesses ($14,000 projected in 2019)
10. Review Frontier franchise agreement with the City to determine opportunities for other
providers to use their fiber pathways to help our expansion efforts
11. Explore expanding Midco’s fixed wireless footprint by helping Midco to find or build more
towers
12. Explore expanding fixed wireless service by creating Home Owners Associations similar to
Cedar Cliff to reach remote homes in Scandia
13. Explore new innovative technologies to reach remote homes and businesses in Scandia
14. Repurpose a portion of the Scandia Community Center to serve as an Internet Café for use
by the Scandia public until every home and business in Scandia that wants it has reliable,
high-speed broadband service
15. Design and deliver education seminars for all Scandia broadband users to maximize the
reliability, performance, and security of their broadband service, especially within the four
walls of the household or business
16. At least one committee member should attend an annual conference, which the committee
votes as necessary, to interact with other community leaders and keep abreast of the state
of broadband in Minnesota
Voting Committee Members:
1. Experienced, professional, senior communications engineer
2. Experienced, licensed contracts and business attorney
3. Experienced software architect and technology educator
4. Small business owner without reliable, high-speed broadband service
5. A parent with school-age children without reliable, high-speed broadband service
Non-Voting Members:
o MidCo representative
o City Administrator
o One or two City Council Members