Le Sueur County News reports…

A proposal to connect up to 222 rural Le Sueur County households to high speed internet is ready to launch with the backing of the state of Minnesota.

Bevcomm’s planned fiber-optic network, serving Montgomery, Lexington and Sharon townships, was one of 61 projects benefiting from nearly $100 million in state Border to Border grants.

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development awarded a $941,000 grant to the $1.9 million project, which will offer 1 Gbps upstream and downstream connection speeds to a swath of unserved residences, businesses and farms located south and west of the city of Montgomery and north of the city of Le Center.

“We’re excited. It’s going to bring needed broadband services to rural areas,” said Le Sueur County Administrator Joe Martin.

The project is focused primarily in Montgomery Township, in which up to 152 locations could benefit. An estimated 89 homes in Lexington Township and six homes in Sharon Township could access coverage as well.

The county’s share of the project cost, approximately $350,000, will be reimbursed by Montgomery, Lexington and Sharon townships over a period of 10 years, with no added interest. Each township is expected to dedicate $1,500 oer benefitting location in their respective borders.

Martin said the county will dig into its reserves to pay for the front-end cost, rather than county tax dollars.