Hometown Source reports…

The city of Independence has been looking for ways to provide broadband access to more of its residents for some time.

In January 2023, the city council approved a motion to apply for grant money through the State of Minnesota to accomplish that goal.

That grant money was awarded by the state when Gov. Tim Walz announced that Midco Communications had been awarded a $1,519,500 grant from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) through the Office of Broadband Development’s Border-to-Border Broadband Program to bring high-speed and reliable broadband to unserved and under-served areas of Independence and Greenfield.  …

This grant will cover a portion of the more than $3 million total cost to improve connectivity to more than 400 homes, businesses and farms in the Independence area.

Midco partnered with Hennepin County, which contributed $250,000 for the project, and received letters of support from Hennepin County, the City of Independence, and federal and local elected officials from the area. There were also more than 80 individual letters of support from residents sharing their experiences with poor connectivity and the need for a high-speed, reliable connection.

When the council approved the motion to apply for the grant, Midco said the project would cover 434 homes in Independence and the build-out would start on the north side of Highway 12 and then proceed to the south side, with the projected expected to be completed by 2024. Hennepin County grant recipients would have to complete projects by the end of 2024.