2026-09-14-minutes-public-works-study-session

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KITTITAS COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS PUBLIC WORKS — BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS STUDY SESSION STAFF REPORT STUDY SESSION DATE: September 14, 2026 TOPIC: BEAD Broadband Project Update ACTION REQUESTED: Informational Only LEAD STAFF: Josh Fredrickson RECOMMENDATION: Informational briefing — no action required by the Board BRIEFING SUMMARY: • Kittitas County has previously been awarded two projects for broadband development • Federal funding through the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program is being made available to Kittitas County for broadband expansion • Kittitas County is being awarded seven project areas for broadband expansion through the BEAD program and State funding match • The County uses private broadband partners to build, operate and maintain the networks. • The County also received long-term public infrastructure value. BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic exposed major weaknesses in rural broadband. As work, school, health care, and daily services moved online, many households in Kittitas County did not have infrastructure capable of supporting multiple simultaneous users. In response, the County Commissioners made broadband expansion a priority and pursued state and federal funding opportunities beginning in 2021. Early federal recovery funding moved relatively quickly and supported two major County projects administered through the Washington State Public Works Board (PWB) and the Washington State Broadband Office (WSBO). Funding for these projects is $3.6 million and $11.4 million, respectively. Additional funding for deployment of broadband services to areas within the County has been made available through the National Telecommunications and information Administration (NTIA) Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program.