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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