08.c IAC Minutes 08 18 202214727 209th St. N., Scandia, Minnesota 55073 Phone (651) 433-2274 | Fax (651) 433-5112 | www.cityofscandia.com
CITY OF SCANDIA INTERNET ACTION COMMITTEE
MINUTES Thursday, August 18, 2022
6:30 p.m. Location: Online Streaming (Boxcast and Zoom) and
Scandia Community Center, 14727 209th Street North
Attendance: Chair Robert Wilmers., Smith, John Carney, K.C. Douglas, and Steve Collier
Also in Attendance: City Council Liaison Patti Ray, City Council Liaison Steve Kronmiller and City Administrator Ken Cammilleri.
Absent: Vice Chair Marschall Smith.
Called to Order – The meeting is called to order by Chair Wilmers at 6:34 pm.
Approval of Agenda – Motion by Carney, Seconded by Douglas to approve the agenda. Motion carried.
Approval of Minutes – Motion by Douglas, seconded by Carney, to approve the minutes from the July 17, 2022 meeting. Motion carried with amendment to reflect Collier’s absence.
Public Comments – There were no public comments offered.
Legislative Update – Wilmers reported that LTD Broadband had recently been disqualified from RDOF. $640,000 is the remaining grant finding from Washington County’s Broadband Expansion Grant. Carney also noted that there may be funding worked out through the recent bi-partisan infrastructure grant.
2022 Midco Grant – The City’s 2022 grant from Midco was approved by the City Council on Tuesday, and was signed and mailed today. Wilmers noted that there is a link to sign up that could be shared on the city website with a map to encourage a take rate.
Douglas also reported that installation of fiber and conduit are being installed in her neighborhood along 238th Street N.
Frontier Grant and Midco Challenge to the 2022 Border-to-Border Broadband Grant – Frontier has
submitted a grant application for up 900 locations in and outside of Scandia with up to 2 gigs symmetrical data speeds. Wilmers noted concerns about the continued use of aging copper wires. He noted that Forde had asked why the City did not alert them to this. Wilmers noted that we wanted to be respectful of
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Scandia Internet Action Committee
August 18, 2022
Page 2 of 2 competition to maintain trust. Midco had committed to work in Isanti County and Forest Lake, and
determined a greater customer need elsewhere. The Committee noted that both ISPs involvement in Scandia is a good opportunity for the City. It was further noted that there are unknowns how Midco’s challenges of Frontier’s submissions will affect this grant, and it will also potentially affect the 2024
buildout. Midco is currently preparing a grant application to Washington County for a grant for the 2023 year.
The Committee discussed the challenges and decided to let Frontier to utilize the City’s maps to prevent
over-buildout. Wilmers agreed to make that contact. Midco requested that the City would be willing to consider supporting their challenge, the Committee agreed that they would need to see what that is before we could consider it. The City’s goal is to get as much internet to all homes by 2024.
Wilmers will not be available for the meeting in September, but Vice Chair Smith will continue to coordinate preparations.
Midco Day – The City received 300 red reusable market bags, the storyboard prizes, and the meal tokens. The Storyboard Contest will be open to 2nd through 6th graders, and the Scandia Parks and Recreation Committee will be the judge. Meister's burgers and cookies will also be served. Besides the children’s prizes for their stories, $250 to the teacher of the student with the winning student. The expenses, including photographer services, will be covered by Midco.
Cammilleri was instructed to call the Scandia Mercantile to order ice cream bars, to purchase ice from the
liquor store or co-op, have a laptop ready for lookups, request Public Works to set up the canopy by and have the internet action committee banner, string for securing the banner, and weights to weigh the tent down 2:45pm. He was also requested to arrange for a portable toilet for Lilleskogen Park for the day of
the event and to request the Fire Department’s mobile PA system. The Lions’ picnic tables would be picked up and returned by Public Works.
Kronmiller volunteered to print the 2022 build map and a pre-2022 map build map. Both documents are
to be accompanied by a list of addresses. Wilmers and Kronmiller volunteered to work the tent from 3:30 to 6:30, and the rest of the Committee that was in attendance agreed to also help staff the tent.
From 5:30pm to 7:00pm, there will be the Lilleskogen Gathering and Storyboard Contest.
To reserve the Hall for the alternate for the 31st.
Items for Future Discussion – Respond to the Challenge to Frontier application from Midco.
Next Meeting – Wilmers reminded members that the next IAC meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 15, 2022 at 6:30pm at the Community Center. Midco Day will be Wednesday, August 31, 2022.
Adjournment – Motion by Wilmers, seconded by Carney to adjourn the meeting at 7:25pm. Motion carried.
Minutes prepared by:
Ken Cammilleri, City Administrator