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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: April 14, 2025 <br />TOPIC: Broadband Expansion Projects Update <br />ACTION REQUESTED: Direct Staff <br />LEAD STAFF: <br />Joshua Fredrickson <br />RECOMMENDATION: <br />Direct staff to develop enabling documents and to schedule a ribbon cutting ceremony. <br />BRIEFING SUMMARY: <br />• County has received grant funding award for broadband expansion through the <br />Public Works Board and the State Broadband Office <br />• Applications were submitted to the State Broadband Office through the <br />Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program (BEAD) Round 1 <br />• Two project areas have been provisionally awarded <br />• BEAD program has identified a second round for applications as well as a future <br />third round <br />• Applications for BEAD Round 2 are due May 16, 2025 <br />BACKGROUND: <br />Kittitas County has previously been awarded grant funding for the expansion of <br />broadband (high speed internet) in the County. Funding includes a grant through the <br />Public Works Board (PWB) and another through the Washington State Broadband Office <br />(WSBO). Funding from the first round of applications through the Broadband Equity <br />Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program was requested and two project areas have been <br />provisionally awarded. Public Works has been working with the County's broadband <br />consultant for development of broadband expansion phases. <br />DISCUSSION: <br />Project funding to expand broadband service to rural portions of the county is available <br />through the Public Works Board, Washington State Broadband Office and the National <br />Telecommunications and Information Administration. <br />The project funded through PWB will expand broadband service to areas of Thorp and <br />Edgemont. Design and permitting is underway for this project area. Expansion of <br />