Rank: 72
Code: Red
(See Blandin Foundation interactive map)

Meeker County: stalled but recent grant might help

Meeker County has been engaged in broadband expansion for years. In  2017, Meeker County released a broadband feasibility study, with Blandin Foundation’s support. They released an update in 2018.

Meeker County will benefit from a MN State Grant awarded in 2021:

• Meeker Cooperative Light & Power Association (Vibrant Broadband) – Lake Koronis – GRANT $41,927 This last mile project will serve approximately 28 unserved and seven underserved locations in Union Grove Township in Meeker County.

They will benefit from a MN Border to Border grant awarded in the last round. The project is small, but hopefully will start a quest for more improvement. Projected allocation of American Recovery Project ARP funds in Meeker is $4,503,764; broadband is one possible use.

Meeker County needs a major push to get to better broadband; they are code red.

Broadband Access:

Computer Access:

Past grants:

• 2019: Nuvera Communications, Inc. – Hutchinson W Project – GRANT $346,282

Checklist:

• Find more articles on broadband in Meeker County (http://tinyurl.com/gltzvoc)
• 100/20 Mbps ranking: 72 (up 2)
• Has worked with Blandin: yes
• Has received a MN Broadband grant: yes
• Household density: 14.65

Details:

• Districts: CD 7
  Senate: 18
  House: 18A
• Find your reps

I am doing the annual look at broadband in each county – based on maps from the Office of Broadband Development and news gathered from the last year. I’m looking at progress toward the 2022 (25 Mbps down and 3 Mbps up) and 2026 (100 Mbps down and 20 Mbps up) and will code each:

• Red (yikes)
• Yellow (warning)
• Green (good shape)