4.1 Broadband Grant Support
Request for
City Council Action
DEPARTMENT INFORMATION
ORIGINATING DEPARTMENT REQUESTOR: MEETING DATE:
Planning City Planner Licht 25 July 2022
PRESENTER(s) REVIEWED BY: ITEM #:
City Planner Licht Assist. City Administrator Hille
X.X – Broadband Grant
STRATEGIC VISION
MEETS: THE CITY OF OTSEGO:
X Is a strong organization that is committed to leading the community through innovative
communication.
X Has proactively expanded infrastructure to responsibly provide core services.
Is committed to delivery of quality emergency service responsive to community needs and
expectations in a cost-effective manner.
X Is a social community with diverse housing, service options, and employment opportunities.
Is a distinctive, connected community known for its beauty and natural surroundings.
AGENDA ITEM DETAILS
RECOMMENDATION:
City staff recommends approval of a letter of support for a grant application by Charter Communications to
expand broadband internet service within Otsego.
ARE YOU SEEKING APPROVAL OF A CONTRACT? IS A PUBLIC HEARING REQUIRED?
No
No
BACKGROUND/JUSTIFICATION:
Wright County Administration staff contacted City staff regarding proposed Charter Communications
projects that would expand broadband service within central and west Otsego. The proposed projects
would increase internet speed up to 200 to 1,000 Mbps.
Charter is applying to MN Deed for a grant to fund the project and requesting letters of support from the
communities benefited. The letters of support are requested to be sent to Charter by 4 August 2022. City
staff has drafted the attached letter for approval of the City Council for the Mayor signature.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
▪ Draft letter of support dated 26 July 2022
POSSIBLE MOTION
PLEASE WORD MOTION AS YOU WOULD LIKE IT TO APPEAR IN THE MINUTES:
Motion to approve a letter of support for the Charter application for a grant to expand broadband service
within the City and authorize the Mayor to sign on the City Council’s behalf.
BUDGET INFORMATION
FUNDING: BUDGETED:
NA
City of Otsego│13400 90th Street NE, Otsego, MN 55330│Tel. (763) 441 -4414 Fax (763) 441-9163
26 July 2022
Angie Dickison, Director
Office of Broadband Development – MN DEED
332 Minnesota Street, Suite E-200
St. Paul, MN 55101
RE: Support for Charter/Spectrum Broadband Expansion
Dear Director Dickison:
This letter offers support for broadband expansion in the City of Otsego through an application with
Charter/Spectrum for a Minnesota Border to Border Broadband Grant.
Two proposed projects will upgrade existing unserved property owners, as well as areas planned for
immediate residential, commercial, and industrial development in Otsego bringing speeds ranging
between 200-1,000 Mbps. These residents currently struggle with slow internet speed and poor
connectivity – some residents have reported download speeds as low as 6 Mbps – which adversely
impacts school, work, and healthcare for these families.
This grant opportunity would greatly improve the quality of life for Otsego residents and, as the COVID -
19 pandemic demonstrated, the unserved and underserved suffer the most in difficult times. This grant
help would go a long way in addressing the discrepancies rural Minnesotans face on a daily basis.
The City of Otsego City Council at our meeting on 25 July 2022 voted unanimously to support this project
and greatly appreciates your consideration of this grant application.
Sincerely,
CITY OF OTSEGO
Jessica L. Stockamp
Mayor