Dane County  
Minutes - Final Unless Amended by  
Committee  
Dane County Broadband Task Force  
Consider:  
Who benefits? Who is burdened?  
Who does not have a voice at the table?  
How can policymakers mitigate unintended consequences?  
Thursday, January 6, 2022  
9:00 AM  
Remote Meeting - Please see top of agenda for  
instructions on how to join the meeting.  
A. Call To Order  
11 -  
Present  
DAVE RIPP, KATE MCGINNITY, RENEE LAUBER, MELISSA RATCLIFF, BOB  
WIPPERFURTH, BILL DICKMEYER, MICHELLE JENSEN, DEANA ZENTNER,  
JOYCE TIKALSKY, ANDREW HOYOS, and JAMES DANKY  
4 - TODD VIOLANTE, PETER WEIL, CATHY SUTTER, and SARAH GHEE  
Absent  
B. Consideration of Minutes  
Minutes of the December 2, 2021 Dane County Broadband Task Force Meeting  
2021  
MIN-522  
Attachments: 2021 MIN-522  
A motion was made by WIPPERFURTH, seconded by ZENTNER, that the Minutes  
be approved. The motion carried by a voice vote.  
13 -  
Present  
DAVE RIPP, KATE MCGINNITY, TODD VIOLANTE, RENEE LAUBER, MELISSA  
RATCLIFF, BOB WIPPERFURTH, BILL DICKMEYER, MICHELLE JENSEN,  
DEANA ZENTNER, JOYCE TIKALSKY, ANDREW HOYOS, JAMES DANKY, and  
CATHY SUTTER  
2 - PETER WEIL, and SARAH GHEE  
Absent  
C. Public Comment on Items not on the Agenda  
None  
D. Action Items  
None  
E. Presentations  
1. Middle Mile Presentation  
Griselda Aldrete and Kathryn Wilhelm from Alliant Energy presented on middle mile  
infrastructure.  
Dickmeyer inquired about how MUFN overlays or is complimentary to Alliant’s middle mile  
network.  
Wilhelm indicated that the middle mile infrastructure was designed to tie their facilities to  
each other. The middle mile infrastructure would be something that MUFN could connect  
the last mile in different areas of the county.  
Danky inquired about dig once related to running fiber where natural gas was run  
throughout southern Dane County  
Wilhelm indicated they have not talked with communities on this yet, but will get more  
information to share.  
Wipperfurth inquired about leasing out fiber lines  
Wilhelm indicated the PSC is very supportive of leasing fiber lines.  
Tikalsky asked if underground is the sole way of distributing fiber.  
Wilhelm indicated that for their purposes they put everything underground because it is  
the most secure. It is also the most expensive. There are other ways to install fiber, but  
there are other things to consider.  
Lauber asked if the map that was shown could be more interactive and easy to use.  
Also asked if a municipality is trying to partner for a grant, if they should contact Alliant  
Energy or ISP.  
Wilhelm said a municipality could contact them, but because they are a utility they are  
regulated they, need to remain nondiscriminatory and are still trying to find a path forward.  
Also noted that there is interactive data that could be shared following an NDA.  
Dane County: Middle Mile Infrastructure  
2021  
PRES-214  
Attachments: 2021 PRES-214  
14 -  
Present  
Absent  
DAVE RIPP, KATE MCGINNITY, TODD VIOLANTE, RENEE LAUBER, MELISSA  
RATCLIFF, BOB WIPPERFURTH, BILL DICKMEYER, MICHELLE JENSEN,  
DEANA ZENTNER, JOYCE TIKALSKY, ANDREW HOYOS, JAMES DANKY,  
PETER WEIL, and CATHY SUTTER  
1 - SARAH GHEE  
F. Reports to Committee  
Review Dane County Broadband Task Force Resolution  
1. 2021  
DISC-055  
Attachments: 2020 RES-415  
Ratcliff reviewed the resolution outlining what the goals and outcomes of the task force  
are.  
2. Discuss Public Hearings  
Sharon Lezberg facilitated discussion regarding public input.  
Including public hearings, open-ended survey, community based in-person input at public  
meetings at the local level, poster board at public places, testimonials collected by task  
force  
Discussion ensued brainstorming ways to collect public input and the public hearing  
format.  
Staff will send a Doodle poll to members to schedule the hearings.  
3. Review Mapping  
Task force members shared their experience completing the MadRep test, as well as  
efforts to share the speed test.  
G. Future Meeting Items and Dates  
February 3, 2022 at 9:00am  
H. Such Other Business as Allowed by Law  
None  
I. Adjourn  
A motion was made by MCGINNITY, seconded by LAUBER, that the be  
adjourned. The motion carried unanimously.  
Meeting adjourned at 10:55 am.  
Respectfully submitted by Lauren Kuhl, pending Taskforce approval