Dane County

Minutes - Final Unless Amended by

Committee

Dane County Broadband Task Force

Thursday, February 1, 2024

9:00 AM

Hybrid Meeting: Attend in person at the City County

Building in Room 354; attend virtually via Zoom.

A. Call To Order

Others present: Lauren Kuhl, Jaron McCallum

Chair Ratcliff called the meeting to order at 9:01 AM.

WEIL joined at 9:0 AM.

DICKMEYER JOINED AT 9:13 AM.

7 -

Present

Absent

KATE MCGINNITY, TODD VIOLANTE, RENEE LAUBER, MELISSA RATCLIFF,

JEFF GLAZER, SARAH EDGERTON, and DAVID DIGIOVANNI

6 -

BOB WIPPERFURTH, BILL DICKMEYER, MICHELLE JENSEN, DEANA

ZENTNER, PETER WEIL, and SARAH GHEE

B. Consideration of Minutes

2023

MIN-477

Minutes of the December 7, 2023 Dane County Broadband Task Force

meeting

Attachments: 2023 MIN-477

A motion was made by GLAZER, seconded by MCGINNITY, that the Minutes be

approved. The motion carried by a voice vote.

C. Action Items

D. Presentations

None

E. Reports to Committee

1. Broadband Coordinator Updates

a. Affordable Connectivity Program Update

Broadband Coordinator Jaron McCallum provided an update on the program. FCC has

issued a wind down order, essentially discontinuing the program. As of February 7, there

will be no new ACP applications or enrollments accepted. If houses are fully enrolled by

that date, they will continue to receive the benefit, which is expected to be exhausted in

April or May 2024.

Has an impact on ACP Outreach Grant program. Dane County was a recipient of the

grant, FCC has advised all grant recipients to cease efforts on outreach effective

February 7.

Glazer inquired if the funds Dane County received, and yes, the money will not be

available to Dane County.

Ratcliff inquired if the funds can be used for anything else, and the answer is not really.

Discussion ensued regarding the end of the program, and the challenges of the program

to begin with.

Glazer remarked that he is hopeful that there is a solution to make broadband access

more affordable.

Weil inquired about the BEAD and EACAM funding and PSC’s eligibility for funding.

b. AECOM Final report update

The report is available on the Dane County Broadband webpage, which includes a two

page introduction from Dane County staff.

c. Update on Task Force moving forward

Ratcliff provided the background on the Task Force creation and continuation to date, as

well as hiring a Broadband Coordinator.

Glazer provided comments regarding the work of a board/commission/committee

changes over time as the needs

d. Broadband grant opportunities in the future

McCallum provided an overview of grant opportunities

Flexible Facilities program from WI DOA – up to $107 million

Digital Connectivity and Navigators program from WI PSC – up to $33 million

Nonprofit Access Grant Program – up to $500,000

Lifeline Outreach Grant Program – up to $250,000

Telemedicine Grant Program –

McCallum will provide this list of grants to Task Force members.

F. Future Meeting Items and Dates

he next meeting will be on April 4th in a hybrid format.

Updates on grant opportunities, Task Force moving forward

G. Public Comment on Items not on the Agenda

H. Such Other Business as Allowed by Law

I. Adjourn

A motion was made by GLAZER, seconded by VIOLANTE, that the meeting be

adjourned. The motion carried unanimously.

Meeting adjourned at 9:40 PM.