09.a Updated CIP 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 minimuma minimum of
1gbs/50mpbs.
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 200as many premises a year, completing the
expansion by 2026 as possible with a goal of completing expansion by 2027.
Tasks:
1. Support and guide location providers in their Develop and document development of 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 as needed and include
the following written documentation:
a) Estimated Ffinancial 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
3.2. Identify home businesses, remote workers, school age-children, teachers and low
income families 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
5.3. Minimize the use of property taxes to expand reliable, high-speed broadband service.
Plan and operate as much as possible within the City’s General Fund annual budget
6.4. Spend as much “other people’s money” as possible. Grants from DEED, FCC Rural Digital
Opportunities Fund. Search for other funding
Adopted by the City Council on October 15, 2019
7.5. 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 according to latest standards.
8.6. 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
13.7. Explore new innovative technologies to reach remote homes and businesses in Scandia
14.8. 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
15.9. 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
16.10. 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