Faribault County Register reports…

Last Tuesday morning, during their County Board meeting, the Faribault County Commissioners decided to give the Faribault County Economic Development Authority (EDA) $600,000 from the county’s Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds.

Part of that funding went to Becomm…

Bevcomm president Bill Eckles was present virtually at the EDA Zoom meeting to present his request for both a loan and grant for Bevcomm’s broadband Internet expansion project.

Eckles showed a map of the county to show where Bevcomm has put Internet broadband access into rural areas of the county, and where the newest expansions will now go.

“Last year the EDA agreed to loaning Bevcomm $30,000 when we applied for a State of Minnesota Broadband Grant,” Eckles said. “We agreed that loan will be paid back when the first customer is hooked up to the new broadband Internet area.”

Eckles says it is important for their application to the state to show community support.

The EDA agreed to follow the recommendation of the County Board to give a $5,000 grant to Bevcomm to go towards this project and show support for it.

They also agreed to a $15,000 loan at zero percent interest which will be paid back in full when the first customer hooks up.

The project will serve 429 homes and have a total cost of $3.9 million, with 40 percent of the cost covered by the state broadband grant.

Eckles said they hope to start construction in the spring of 2021, and the following year start signing up customers.