MN Broadband Task Force August 2026: rural libraries and workforce training

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The MN Broadband Task Force heard from national speakers on rural libraries and workforce training. Also, there was a big update from the Office of Broadband Development.

10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. – Welcome from Teddy Bekele, Chair, Minnesota Governor’s Task Force on Broadband and approval of minutes from June Task Force meeting.

10:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. – Presentation from Kate Laughlin, Executive Director, Association for Rural & Small Libraries and Brooke Van Eyk, Development Director, Association for Rural & Small Libraries.

  • Last year IMLS (funds libraries) suffered steep cuts last year
  • Shining a light on rural libraries
  • They have 3000 members; 80 in Minnesota
  • Some rural areas have limited broadband access – but they can get access in the library
  • Working with private foundations on library grants
  • Coleraine, Two Harbors and Lake Agassi will be participating in grant/education programs

Q: E-rate. Are struggles with getting broadband internal infrastructure or connectivity?
Both.
Q: What do people do online in the library?
Many things. We don’t judge. Online training is one example, especially in areas where the local industry is dying.
How to access telehealth because the hospital has closed or specialists aren’t close enough to visit in person
What about Tribal connections?

10:45 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. – Presentation from C-Tech’s Sara Syverson on Broadband Workforce Training: Building Career Pathways Through Hands-On Learning

  • Works with Moose Lake

Q: Have you done the training in k12?
Yes – work in the high schools.
Q: Do you do any tower-climbing classes?
Not yet
Q: What are high demand jobs?
Tower technicians especially travel, FTTP deployments – last mile home installation

11:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. – Office of Broadband Development (OBD) overview and updates from Bree Maki (Executive Director, OBD).

  • Digital Equity Grant: changes are to competitive grants. NTIA is looking at December for those grants to be available again. But these are not capacity grants. These are the grants that NTIA administered directly.
    Commerce Targets December 2026 to Reopen Digital Equity Competitive
  • There’s another suit to try to get some funding back.
  • BEAD: Have first signed grant agreement with ECE for a fiber deployment. Working on other (80+) contracts as well.
  • Contract deadline is Aug 8.
  • Working with tribal partners
  • Have updated the website
  • Folks are going to NTIA conference in fall
  • Some BEAD grantees have dropped out due to higher costs, uncertainty in guidance
  • Line Extension – still happening – but need to be done by the end of the year. (Requirement of Capitol Projects). Still hoping for one last quick round.
  • Looking at Line Extension 6 for the future with State funding
  • Capitol Projects: we are under a desk review. Need approval for a budget modification.
  • Running into issues with reimbursement – for OBD and grantees
  • OBD sent a letter to Treasury to get unused dollars to meet extensions.
  • Border to Border Round 9 still have 24 projects out – but ready for close out
  • Border to Border 10 projects are on track.
  • The MN Broadband Charter monthly meetings continue.
  • We see more hiccups with environmental policy/permitting could cause more slow-downs.

Q: Is round 5 safe?
Yes. But we can’t pay until OBD gets paid.

11:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Open the floor to other business, September’s meeting plans, and meeting wrap-up.

  • Sep 16 meeting with be virtual; next meeting at MidCo
  • Will start talking about the annual report

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