IAC DRAFT Minutes 8-19-2021
City of Scandia
14727 209th St. N. PO Box 128, Scandia, Minnesota 55073
Phone (651) 433-2274 | Fax (651) 433-5112 | http://www.cityofscandia.com
Internet Action Committee
Agenda
Location: the Scandia Community Center, 14727 209th Street N, Scandia MN 55073
Online Streaming on Boxcast and Zoom
Thursday, August 19, 2021 at 6:30pm
Attendance: John Carney, K. C. Douglas, Bob Wilmers
Also in Attendance: City Council Liaison Steve Kronmiller, City Council Liaison Patti Ray,
and City Administrator Ken Cammilleri
Absent: Nick Santrach and Marschall Smith.
Call to Order – The meeting was called by Wilmers at 6:30pm.
Approval of Agenda – Motion by Douglas, seconded by Carney to approve the agenda.
Motion carried.
Approval of Minutes from the July 15, 2021 meeting – Motion by Wilmers, seconded by
Douglas to approve the July 15, 2021 minutes. Motion carried.
Public Comments – There were no public comments made.
Midco Day – Ray reported that next week’s Farm’s Market will have a table at the Scandia
Farmer’s Market to answer questions regarding internet buildout. Wilmers, Kronmiller,
Santrach, and Douglas volunteer to staff the tent. The stand will be staffed by the
committee from 3:30pm to 6:30pm. Cammilleri was requested to have printouts ready and
to order a banner that state’s “Scandia Internet Action Committee.”
Update on Current DEED and Direct Aid Construction Projects – Wilmers shared the same
report that he presented at the last Council meeting on August 17, 2021. The direct aid
buildout project is tentatively scheduled to start between September 13th and October 8th.
All of the projects scheduled for this year are anticipated to be completed before the end of
2022.
MN Rural Broadband Alliance Report – Cammilleri reported on information he obtained
from the last meeting of the Alliance. He noted that a great deal of discussion was
concentrated on LTD Broadband and the new scrutiny it is facing from the FCC. Wilmers
and Cammilleri noted that a number of census tract award areas were recently challenged,
City of Scandia
14727 209th St. N. PO Box 128, Scandia, Minnesota 55073
Phone (651) 433-2274 | Fax (651) 433-5112 | http://www.cityofscandia.com
including some in Minnesota. However, scrutiny was not yet placed on their buildout award
area in Scandia.
Kronmiller Items for Discussion – The Committee discussed concerns presented by
Kronmiller.
2022 Planning – Cammilleri reported that Washington County had set aside $2,000,000 for
internet expansion from their allocation under the American Rescue Plan. The Committee
discussed efforts to encourage the County to make use of these funds in Scandia. The
Committee discussed the progress and their approach to seeking additional funding from the
city. Motion by Wilmers, seconded by Carney, to recommend seeking $613,000 over the
next two years with the cost split between the 2022 and 2023 fiscal years. Motion carried. It
was further noted that these funds would provide one-third of funding for a buildout that
could potentially reach approximately 360 households at an estimated total project cost of
$1.8 million total.
Next Meeting – Wilmers reminded the Committee that its next meeting will be held on
Thursday, September 16, 2021 at 6:30pm.
Adjournment – Motion by Carney, seconded by Wilmers to adjourn the meeting at 8:31pm.
Motion carried.
Minutes prepared by
Ken Cammilleri, City Administrator