08.c Internet Action Committee 09 20 23 Minutes
14727 209 th St. N., Scandia, Minnesota 55073
Phone (651) 433-2274 | Fax (651) 433-5112 | www.cityofscandia.com
CITY OF SCANDIA
INTERNET ACTION COMMITTEE
MINUTES
Wednesday, September 20, 6:30 p.m.
Scandia Community Center, 14727 209th Street North
Attendance: Bob Wilmers, Steve Bradley(remotely), John Carney, and Patti Ray. Absent: None
Also in Attendance: Council Liaison Steve Kronmiller(remotely), City Administrator Kyle Morell, and Melissa
Wolf. Absent: None
Call to Order – The meeting was called to order by Chair Wilmers at 6:40 p.m.
Approval of Agenda – Motion by Ray, seconded by Carney, to approve the agenda as presented. Motion
Carried 3-0.
Approval of Minutes – The August 17 meeting minutes were approved on a Motion by Ray, seconded by
Carney. Motion Carried 3-0.
Public Comments - No comments were offered.
Capital Investment Committee Request Update – Morell informed the Committee their funding request has
been restored to the requested amount in the preliminary 2024 budget. Committee Chairman Wilmers attended
the September 6 Council Work Session. He spoke on behalf of the Committee, explaining the importance of
having matching funding available with the influx of BEAD money from the federal government. Council asked
staff to restore the funding for the preliminary levy and will review the funding request before the final
certification in December.
Midco Day – Ray gave a summary of Midco Day. 365 burgers were distributed, and all 400 bags were given out.
Traffic and the IAC booth was steady, and they inquired about when high-speed internet would be expanded to
their area. Those who inquired were encouraged to fill out the Line Extension Application. All of the submitted
stories will be shared by Midco, assuming parental approval, during Digital Inclusion Week. Overall, the event
was well attended.
Midco Update
Midco Government Relations Manager Melissa Wolf presented the Committee with slides detailing Midco’s
commitment to Scandia from 2019 – 2023. Nearly $2,000,000 has been spent increasing high-speed internet in
the community, connecting 478 new customers. Funding has come from Midco, the City of Scandia, Washington
County, MN DEED, and RDOF.
Midco has already approved or submitted for 2024 construction an additional 130 passings (houses passed by the
expansion of high-speed internet lines). 118 are part of the Big Marine Lake project, costing $650,000. The
remaining passings are part of two Line Extension grant applications totaling $160,100. After completing these
two projects, Midco estimates 425 passings remain to complete the buildout of high-speed internet in Scandia.
Midco is exploring possibly picking up 70 of these through additional 2024 projects tied into the Big Marine and
May Township projects. The remaining passings will be included in a future BEAD grant, which is scheduled to
open up its first of three possible grant rounds in the summer of 2024. BEAD grant rounds will be open from the
Scandia Internet Action Committee Draft Minutes
May 18, 2023
Page 2 of 2
summer of 2024 through the summer of 2025. If awarded, construction must be completed within four years.
Midco will also look to apply for another round of Line Extension grants when they open in November and the
Border 2 Border grant round that also opens this fall.
Midco intends to help Scandia complete its high-speed internet buildout. The upcoming grant cycles provide an
excellent opportunity to serve the remaining 425 passings. As with all the City’s past grant applications, a local
match increases the application’s chances of getting funded. Midco is willing to invest significant funds to
complete the City’s build-out, but they will not be able to do it alone.
Internet Expansion Cost Summary – Council Liaison Kronmiller will update the spreadsheet based on the
information presented by Melissa at the meeting.
Next Areas for Expansion and Timing – This item was covered in the Midco Project Update section.
Internet Action Committee Charter – This item was tabled until the October meeting.
Items for Future Discussion – The Committee asked to include an update on the 2024 budget and CIP funding.
They will review also continue the Charter Review.
Next Meeting – The committee noted that its next meeting would be held Thursday, October 19, 2023, at 6:30
PM at the Community Center.
Adjournment – Motion by Ray, seconded by Carney, to adjourn the meeting at 8:20 p.m. Motion Carried
3-0.
_________________________________
Kyle Morell, City Administrator