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KITTITAS COUNTY <br />DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS <br />PUBLIC WORKS — BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br />STUDY SESSION STAFF REPORT <br />STUDY SESSION DATE: September 23, 2024 <br />TOPIC: Broadband Planning Update - BEAD <br />ACTION REQUESTED: Direction to Staff <br />LEAD STAFF: <br />Joshua Fredrickson <br />RECOMMENDATION: <br />Reaffirm County support to extend broadband capabilities through use of the BEAD <br />grant program. <br />BRIEFING SUMMARY: <br />• High speed internet, referred to as Broadband, is identified by the County as <br />essential infrastructure <br />Two grants have been awarded to Kittitas County for broadband expansion <br />A third grant is available to the County through the National Telecommunications <br />and Information Administration Broadband Equity Access and Deployment <br />Program (BEAD) <br />BACKGROUND: <br />Kittitas County has been working for more than two years to secure funding and services <br />which will allow for expansion of broadband services. Kittitas County has been awarded <br />two grants to help expand broadband (high speed internet) in the County. Funding <br />includes a grant through the Public Works Board and another through the Washington <br />State Broadband Office. This funding will help expand broadband service around the <br />Thorpe and Edgemont areas. Additional funding for broadband expansion will become <br />available through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration <br />(NTIA) Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program. Public Works has <br />been working with the County's broadband consultant for development of broadband <br />expansion phases. <br />DISCUSSION: <br />It is estimated that within Kittitas County there are more than 6,500 county residences <br />without high-speed internet access at home. Also, nearly 85% of low-income households <br />are not connected with high-speed internet. These gaps affect the ability of local residents <br />