I love a county fair. It’s great way to see what folks are interested in, what’s their point of pain and who I might see in the competitions at the State Fair next week. Today I was visiting the Le Sueur County Broadband Initiative booth at the Broadband rally cry at the Le Sueur County Fair. They were showing off their new Blandin Foundation-supported community coffee-ice cream truck, offering folks free coffee (and even better when it’s nearly 90 degrees iced coffee), and asking folks about their internet connection. (Thanks to Barbara Droher-Kline for the tour and the invitation!)

Lots of folks sought out the broadband booth. Others were lured in by the coffee. Typical was the family with three kids under five, saying the broadband was OK but they were going to need better soon. Especially since the pandemic shutdown, I think parents are acutely aware of the importance of broadband and education.

The Le Sueur County Broadband Initiative representatives asked folks to take speed test at home and explained their community-led challenge process. They are working with residents to report cases when what a provider reports to the FCC as their top speeds does not match with what the household at the location can actually get. They are concerned that overreporting by providers has led to the county seeming better served than they are and therefore in a position to lose out on federal funding to close the gap.

They also had some providers and other broadband-interested folks at the booth to answer questions and just see how things were going.

Now is a good time to get community members involved. Everyone has been talking about the $652 million in broadband funding coming to Minnesota. We’re at a stage where that final budget was announced. and the states are working on their initial proposals for the funding. After that there will be a time for public comments. Le Sueur County will be prepared to respond if they don’t like what they see because they will have information on where the maps may be problematic, and they will have feedback from residents.