Madison County receives state grant to bring fiber everywhere in the county
MADISON COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) - The technological future of Madison County is not only looking much brighter but much faster. Madison County has received a grant of more than $13 million from the State of Idaho Capital Project Fund to place in fiber to the outlying areas of the county.
"We applied for a grant through the state of Idaho with the intent of serving 2,988 homes and we got the grant. It's just a little less than $14 million. The total project is $17.6 million. So for our county, it's huge," Paul Sorensen the I.T director for Madison County said.
The City of Rexburg has already started planting their fiber lines, and with this grant, the outlying areas of the county will also now have access to faster internet.
"We'll be starting in the south part of the county. The Archer/ Yukon area, and then over to the western side of the county next summer, which is Burton and Hibbard area. And then up north, the Salem Sugar City area will be the third year," Sorensen said.
The initiative will be a collaboration with the county and Fybercom both of which have received separate grants to help bring fiber into the area.
The grant from the state along with other matching grants bring the cost of the total project to more than $17 million.
The county stresses this will not affect homeowner's taxes in any way and will help growth in the area continue.
"You don't have to pay more money in your taxes, your property tax will not change. I mentioned that it increases your value, $8,000, the way that property taxes work or is basically like an equation for home value versus what the county budgets for and school districts and all that stuff. And so if everybody goes up $8,000, it offsets that cost. So you won't pay more in taxes," Sorensen said.
They also are wanting to make sure the network will be as affordable as possible for anyone who wants to connect.
"Our prices are 100 by 100 is $39.99, 300 by 300 is $51.99, 600 by 600 is $56.99 and one gig by one gig is $68.99," Sorensen said.
The county will also be holding an informational meeting at the Madison County Commissioners Room inside the county courthouse on 159 E. Main Street in Rexburg. That meeting will occur at 6 p.m on Jan. 10.
"I think they have a schedule for a half an hour and we're calling it citizen and media meeting. And basically we'll be there to answer any questions," Sorensen said.
