According to the St Cloud Times…

The Blandin Foundation is giving $35,000 to the Sherburne County Broadband Coalition, part of $315,000 in 30 grants the group announced this week.

Brian Kamman, county information technology director, said $10,000 will fund improvements to the network at the Sherburne History Center. The building in Becker hosts outreach efforts for veterans, health and human services clients, and history enthusiasts. Kamman said with better wired and Wi-Fi connections, the facility will become much more usable for the community.

Internet service has been so poor it interfered with government services, according to Dan Weber, assistant administrator and economic development specialist for Sherburne County. Kamman said the new network will include private connectivity for county business in addition to public connections.

The other $25,000 from Blandin will fund a broadband feasibility study, which Weber said the county hopes to start within the next couple weeks and complete by 2016. He said work by Compass Consultants Inc. of Perham will inform the county of best methods for improving Internet infrastructure in communities along U.S. highways 10 and 169.