[0:00] Good morning, everybody risk >> let's start >> the infrastructure screaming please I'm going to call the meeting to order and we have a quorum of four >> pledge allegiance to the flag please.
[0:29] I >> pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america and to the republic for which it stands one nation under god indivisible with liberty and justice for all >> I do we have someone on the phone thought I heard someone and she said she had to call me ok >> to pull over. Thank you. Thank you. Bring systemis >> public comment is there any public comment. Come on up sir. Mr.
[1:11] christian >> futch why don't we run over >> for isobutane? Let's >> take you moshin I'm german in town of ringel and I guess I got a complaint and the solution out there it's off highway twenty nine on duncan road. Uh your complaints from the local people they're the road is getting into associated >> really bad.
[1:34] I got some pictures here I'd like to pass around. You can see that >> blacktop >> is really arrogated and we're wondering you know we could probably sometime agreement between the county and the township, you know, maybe stopping this or doing something next year with it.
[1:55] it's >> only 100 >> yards, maybe 150 yards for a stretch there. So >> I passed these the time >> here you >> can you can keep these pictures there. So I just want to bring it to your attention there that something needs to be done there.
[2:16] I I had a contractor come out and look at me patching the holes this year but he hasn't gotten back to me around that either there. So it seems >> like the worst ones were the the trucks turn to go into the south to the ramp rather and I don't know they must build a little bit so so was where the holes are in >> the winter >> must soften up so and that's all I got.
[2:33] I don't know if anybody got any questions or anything. Thank you. Of course I have you contacted our director commissioner onasis. I >> mentioned it to him but he hasn't got back to me yet so when wouldn't have anything to comment on. >> oh I'm sorry you're correct.
[2:55] apologize >> I didn't see him so we will take it into consideration. Ok, thank you. >> mm hmm. Well next item is is approval of they of the august 26 infrastructure committee meeting >> minutes and look for a motion to approve approved by sarah second by second my all in favor say ay ay >> motion carry unanimously operational function regard to regards to my statutes ordinance
[3:29] resolution and or policy. The question I have is can we take this up if we don't have we have four members of the we're good thank you very much. No one discussion of possible action by infrastructure motion to go in closed session roll call votes suggested pursuant to nineteen point eighty five one e deliberation no
[3:52] negotiation the purchase of public property then invest in the investing investing the public funds conducting other pacific public business wherever competitive and bargaining sessions require closed session and wisconsinites statutes nineteen twenty five one concern with legal counsel for the governmental body who are rendering oral or written advice concerning strategy to be adopted by the body with
[4:22] respect to litigation in which we are which it is or is likely to become involved topic deliberation and negotiation the terms of the the bug tressell broadband project terms and conditions is there a motion to go for closed session if >> we can if I may mr.
[4:41] chair, before we go into closed session I'll just tee up kind of what we're talking about and brian can give a rationale for closed session when we get to that point.
[5:02] but I think we do have several members from bug tussle that are appearing virtually today that is and please >> if you guys can acknowledge that you can hear us. Avery is online a reshuffle behind chris helverson or equant zuleta, mark bergens and todd theal. Yes. Morning. I can hear you ok? Yes we can hear you correct. All >> right, perfect.
[5:26] so just to kind of ground everyone on the committee as to the purpose of today's meeting and the reason for the presentation recently at a county board meeting you did get an update from several members of bug tussle about the project in the >> progress that has been made as well as essentially bottom line up front not enough project funds remain in the project budget to finish the project as it was originally envisioned as part of that conduit issuance and
[5:49] the subsequent loan. So during that if you reflect during that presentation from bug tussle to the board bug tussle staff essentially laid out a proposed scope modification a map that was in that packet as well as a map that's in your packet today in its most simple terms ultimately the decision of whether to accept the
[6:14] modification as scope rests with the county board. This committee the infrastructure committee is the committee of jurisdiction with respect to the board's broadband expansion efforts. So this committee is charged with developing that recommendation to the board relative to the proposed scope modification and in any next steps. So the closed session thank you, mr.
[6:37] chair for laying that out. It's available for discussion because ultimately and brian can elaborate when we get to that section or that point decision is something that could ultimately result in litigation.
[6:59] that said, before you go into closed session, I know those representatives that I listed from bug tussle are appearing virtually to go over the slides that are in your packet as well as potentially elaborate on any request they may have for >> their project >> development. So with that mr.
[7:19] chair, if you if you'd like, I can turn it over for the to the representatives from bug tussle and they can go through the slides in your packet which I believe start on page four is the introductory slide. Go ahead sir. All right, gentlemen from bug tussler feel free to proceed and just let me know when you want me to advance to the next slide. Right now I'm moving to slide five which is your summary. Ok, and I think that's lance speaking right? It is indeed.
[7:42] lance, I recognize your voice. Are we so we're in the we're still in public session mode. Are we in a public session will >> if there's a desire to go into closed session at some point from your standpoint we generally like to cover everything in open session that we can cover in open session
[7:59] then go into closed. Ok, yeah >> sounds give me a second. I'm not as familiar with webex and I'm pulling the presentation and thinking >> in our packet it's slide page five but from what was sent to me it's slide two it's the heading on the top is summary with the first info graphic line of bug tussle
[8:27] mission and county partnerships . Ok and I can see your slide there which one you're on. Hopefully the other team members can see that and then meanwhile we have the next to me as well.
[8:50] so does the rest of the the team will be able to see see the screen or should I think I think this will work just fine. >> know we're good. Ok, so you feel free to jump in with with with questions of course and some of this recaps by the way, lance, I don't know if you've heard from jesse you might see that he's not here.
[9:08] I know many of the other members know jesse jesse has a very major medical emergency >> within his family and has been at the hospital. So I'll leave it at that. But he sends his regrets and we miss him in this discussion. But we're here to represent jesse as >> well.
[9:33] ok, >> so and so some of this was covered of course back in the june meeting. Some of the background where we've got the twenty five million dollar conduit bond we have the we >> executed on a grant to >> help build their camp and then the twenty twenty four loan of eight million which is the instrument that we were discussing possible
[9:56] modifications from that and how that might be approved with the board separately as I think many of you heard we've been busy with the program. We've signed our grant documents which is an update from before which contractually obligated to serve two thousand one hundred sixty one locations in mostly the northern part of
[10:18] marathon county. And on top of that we get about seven hundred or so more locations that we can drop to so about twenty eight hundred new locations as a result from the program as a business. And when we look at our network it's a it's really a combination of a middle mile and mile.
[10:40] so there's an important business that we're pursuing. We call it enterprise and wholesale with fiber to towers and also with in effect renting private capacity to other carriers. You as they as they traverse the county in the state. So that's another piece of the business.
[11:01] it's gotten more focused lately especially as we're looking to improve >> our revenue side of the fence. We can move to the next slide. So these are the existing assets within the county and for the next two to three so I can see three slides or so I'll pass it over to you to walk through the history and then what the plan looks like.
[11:31] ok, so excuse me this is >> our current state as of today as far as the fibroblast we have two hundred seven twenty six live five miles in county this is george just mentioned we're passing twenty eight hundred five locations that could be served with the baltusrol fiber the densification project that we're looking to deploy >> also
[12:02] is part of the plan >> we envision sixteen fixed wireless the sites we have sixteen fixed one of the sites constructed and deployed within county there's the nineteen multipurpose towers so there's three additional towers in the county >> that that exist for >> our deployment >> of future fixed wireless or county access through seven microwave sites
[12:26] here we've got we're passing about five fifteen hundred locations in fixed wireless that does not include the sites that could be served with fiber . I >> will say the original plan is part >> of the the bonds was two hundred eighty eight miles.
[12:50] you'll see on the next couple of slides here that we're looking to or actively in deployment right now of additional seventy four miles of fiber that was part of the approved plan.
[13:19] so that's going to take us from the two hundred eighty eight originally envisioned to two hundred eighty one five miles in marathon county by the end of the year >> we can go on to the next slide unless anybody has any questions >> as part of the the binding agreements the county has access to >> know a number of >> access rights.
[13:55] so there's installation of the county equipment the nine one one systems, the the fire paging systems you have the full access to the the tower >> structures that are available within the county. In addition to that with the fiber construction the county's has access to twenty four dark fibers that they can do with whatever they choose to do as a governmental purpose and >> additionally how many of those tasks that we have within the county you can install up to two loop antennas for >> the
[14:20] emergency >> system as well as a microwave dish as necessary if you need to create a microwave hop from one state to the next we do allow the installation of an equipment hub on the facilities that that we have there. We just have to go through the the design and get those approved.
[14:51] the usage of this it goes into comments by the va as a maximum term that you can renew up to thirty years. So you've got soulwax to all these services for the next 30 years and we can go on to the next slide. George, if we can tag team this from here a little bit.
[15:17] I covered some of these in the in the previous slides as far as the home past the end of year and fixed wireless we'll get into >> it in the next couple of slides here.
[15:40] but there originally ten points of interest or piecewise that will refer to that county that interest and we've now increased that to eleven with the addition of the edgartown and you'll see the status of these on in the next couple >> of slides here.
[16:09] but this is essentially >> what the the digital structure will look like in the county with deployment of all these assets and so >> you wanted to jump in because we allanson team this is the the presentation we sent over last week. We have a slide that I think avery's referring to. It's not in this version but we can speak to it and it's really the status of the 11 wise across the county.
[16:28] I think chris hughes on online here can can speak to it and >> we have that site available in the in a confidential version of the deck. I don't think it's really confidential so we can also make sure it's made available as well. But that's just where it's housed at the moment.
[16:48] chris, do you want to speak to the pricing status >> that are reflected on the net? You know, just speak to the ones that are outstanding and not complete yet but are in progress with design and engineering. So >> we alluded to the edgar tower that's a recent addition for the paging the sheriff some extra paging ability there.
[17:17] the tiger tower has capacity and we're working with ryan and jerry getting that engineered and designed. So we've talked to ryan and jerry. We've had a meeting and we're doing some structural analysis just looking at the red center where the two antennas can go in the ground space below. So that's in flight no issues. They're the next paging toward necessity is the rainbow tower rainbow drive tower.
[17:40] so there we have a shelter and sheriff sheriff's department requested some more paging there some whip antennas and that again that's the design and engineering and we have to install >> a >> dc dc power plant there. Basically we power unit there to power up company equipments that's being ordered and we'll get installed, you know, done this this fall.
[18:10] lance, if you would like I could share my screen so you can see this in the table format instead of staring at >> a map. I do have it ready otherwise we can continue. Ok ok >> ok.
[18:36] so do we have the hero tower just another point of interest so that's part the the addition and that's a two point seven miles of construction. We have a contractor lined up to extend to the tower a united electric. We're looking at an october start date. I've I've talked to he was going to be here for john king silver lining up there >> there crews we have the material ready to go.
[18:59] so we're looking at october construction timeline stretford >> watertower that's another point of interest. That's a seven point one nine mile stretch there again you need electric field be our contractor and we're trying to link it up for a little longer stretch to october november timeline there we have the east side shirrefs tower called
[19:24] hadlee or the town of hadley. That's a four point five mile stretch and we have united electric lined up there as well. So these these three will be kind of simultaneously being worked >> and the last segment is the east three point six under the we have to go under the bridge over the river the
[19:49] wisconsin river and that's going to connect up to this sunset will see that needs to be lit for brokaw and sadad that the electric will be doing that stretch of construction. That'll be our last segment we're waiting >> resources of bridge attachments bridge broken attachments for that stretch.
[20:13] so that's being sourced a little bit of a lead time there. So that'll be our last construction for the fiber projects in end for this year. So that would rondout our point of interest and our fiber remaining fiber projects for this year. Are >> there any any questions of construction standards? Thank you avery. Real good there. Yeah >> yeah.
[20:52] I don't think I've missed anything. Thank you. Ok so we can go to the next slide then. This >> is also presented some of this back in june and we have some progress to to to report.
[21:18] so with goes to adoption really that's been a challenge for pantusso not only in marathon but across the board and we've been working on not only more and more direct engagement but also how to do this in a smart way with with a new website as well as digital marketing.
[21:41] so digital marketing is certainly being able to attract an approach that the individuals that are within the county but specifically also within the route that that we pass in the areas that we pass that that's been in development and soon getting launched in an official form. And then also there's an update with baltusrol website.
[22:06] we're in the beta form now to be able to better profile our offers and plans to folks across the county that we still see the teaming and the engagement as jesse's work with and mentioned with community engagement with. We just had an event for example in broward county a couple of weeks ago with the county to be able to directly introduce >> and connect citizens with with the brand and then also sort of local partnership and awareness down at the at the bottom of the
[22:31] screen. So there's a lot that's been going on here. The jesse and his organization yeah. He he can speak to a little bit more eloquently as well.
[22:53] todd, I welcome your your thoughts and status on some of this as you've been I think also working with jesse on some of these important initiatives to to grow our adoption. Yeah. Thank >> you, george. I don't have anything to add at the moment but I'm sure we can get into that and a little bit more a little bit later on. But they are pretty self-explanatory. Thanks.
[23:09] so >> next slide talks about the b program and b it is a this is obviously a big deal with about one hundred and seventy four thousand locations across wisconsin and of those about tesla has eleven thousand that are that we've won with liburd. We've signed all those fiber v grant documents >> and that's a priority for the company moving forward.
[23:33] and as we've gone around the state there have been discussions because we didn't always when the strategy was to to build the more fiber and find economic projects that we could be competitive in bidding in terms of the cost per passing but also leverage the assets we have in place and we have significant assets in place in marathon county but we need
[23:53] more passings and that's a key thing to to our strategy that helps us get more passings as well as in certain counties where fiber densification where we didn't win bid.
[24:14] it's a very different story where let's say for example we have a fixed wireless and it's now going to be overbuilt with fiber that changes the aspects >> right away. At the same time in areas where we've run fiber that will be the fiber available for maybe a >> generation in those passing. So we're very committed to getting the right funding in the right plans to be able to execute on the programs.
[24:38] and in the case with marathon it represents just about 20 percent of our fiber speed wins with over twenty one hundred. We go to the next slide. We can see the map as to where those are and the southern part the green there is the level can't build and in the three v towards the three three clusters as you call them, it's all under one award
[24:58] you can see there in the northern part of the county and those are fiber winds of offer fixed wireless across many of the southern part of the county. I know there was disappointment when spacex picked up some of those winds at the bottom part and not a fiber year winner but certainly we're very excited about the
[25:18] wins and the responsibility in the upper part of the >> county. So >> the next slide gets into a little bit more of the the story with with our wholesale side of the business and the first is what we call dark fiber connectivity and fundamentally that's just helping another carrier stitch together what they need and
[25:45] connections from point a to point b and recently we signed a 20 year deal with with a an entity that offers services across the state for over a thousand miles of fiber across the state as a defense I argue indefeasible rate of use.
[26:10] so that kind of transaction is what we're talking about here and in in marathon of course we've we do procure fiber from others to get us down to madison. But there's other opportunities for us to to red for fiber and that's an important part of how we're going to earn our revenues in the future is fiber to the towers we cover within point
[26:30] six of a mile. Four hundred towers across the state of wisconsin we've been having discussions well well first of all we have a legacy tier one carrier where we offer fiber to the tower to more than a dozen of their sites across the state and then we're in discussions with another tier one carrier
[26:49] and have presented our tower assets into their database. So that's another area of focus and finally tower communication. We earn one hundred and fifty two towers across the state owned wilko go vertical bridge and a good many of them are available for 4g and 5g services.
[27:08] that's another initiative we're taking on and that is to get our >> carriers to lease space on the towers on a monthly basis and putting their 4g and 5g >> equipment on the towers. >> so that's something that maybe you hadn't heard of as much as before and it's clearly an important focus of >> the company.
[27:29] so I think that takes us to the bond value cycle and you guys are well aware in this sort of tease up into the next discussion but certainly the it is a partnership as we consider as we execute the current bond but then also look at the future bonds where the ultimately the money is raised through individual and institutional
[27:57] investors that are investing into a bond structure that is in the first order of responsibilities potential to to earn the revenues, earn the cash flow to pay the bond holders back.
[28:26] this this comes together in part through the credit worthiness and the the the partnership with the county who's lending your credit and your participation in the event of of any >> sort of issues on our side to be able to to support the bond structures in place of governors in place with regards to debt service reserve funds and also the structure with capitalized interest.
[28:54] so we're able to build the floor and have a period of build before some of the bond payments have come through. So >> many of you that structure that's similar to the structure that we're looking for the next instrument as well >> and >> I believe that takes us to the end.
[29:18] is there one more slide there? I think that's it and then that certainly open to comments and questions and then as I think lance pointed out that we have some other material with regards to our our financials and some of the projections that we were requesting for in the in the confidential session . Anybody have a question? Go ahead, fiber's. >> thank you, david. >> and back on page for the physical access right.
[29:53] that >> 30 year maximum return with renewals explain that renewal process. Would you please? Well, I believe they go again ten year terms >> so right now for all the assets that are currently in the ground or in the air, you've got a ten year term where you can >> utilize those those assets either >> to tower the fiber assets and you
[30:23] can continue to do that for another >> ten years up to 30 years. There's there's no cost to the county for that. It's just if you want to place an asset on a tower there there's there is some cost as far as like up to a thousand dollars for a structural analysis to place a piece the county's
[30:49] equipment on tower. But >> it essentially it's it's it's rent free license to use ten year increments up to thirty years. Thank you. You're welcome sir. Any other questions? Roger geiger, >> thank you so I have a question for you gentlemen.
[31:23] I am looking at our packet from june which you guys presented to the educational meeting of the marathon county board in regards to service acceptance within the system looking at the two different maps that you presented then versus now, it seems like nothing has changed which you said you're waiting to connect the sunset loop and obviously the issues with the southwest loop.
[31:46] but according to the presentation given in june the fix service subscription rate was four point one five percent and the fixed wireless subscription rate was five point one nine percent. Looking at the numbers you guys just gave us today, we're looking >> at two point ninety nine and one point thirty seven percent respectively given >> that you guys have >> increased your outreach in marketing and
[32:08] everything else, why why is there a decrease in the number of subscriptions you've seen from june until today >> that is basically due to the customers subscribers transitioning from a fixed wireless to a either a faster customer service that is a five year plan or transitioning to you know, like a space x or
[32:41] well it has to be space x from there but >> customer >> churn essentially >> is subscribers in the program. We also we we recalculated based on different engineering principles to the possible number of subscribers >> and then you get actually the more and more significant change back in I think the january presentation we were
[33:14] quoting something like fifteen homes passed with fiber and roughly about the same fifteen hundred homes passed with fixed wireless and now we're up to twenty eight hundred homes passed with fiber and five thousand homes passed with fixed wireless.
[33:40] so thank you george for pointing that out because we did a reassessment based on the physical equipment on the tower and what its capabilities truly are. So we were much more conservative in our numbers in january versus >> you know, of a more detailed assessment in june and today >> looks like ok, thank you. I have another question for you if I may.
[34:06] so in regards >> to the beed the beta audience for the program, did bug tussle have any input on where these programs or where these people would be serviced at or is that large delegated by the state? Yeah, it was delegated by the state the state had trumped up the bead program first of all by county and then within each county they assigned what they
[34:28] called project units and there were several thousand project units in wisconsin. Wisconsin had more at a smaller size average project unit than other states did. Some states I think oregon had fifteen for the whole state.
[34:52] so it's a really different approaches and then we were asked to bid on project units and we could do so in what they call separable or non separable not separable and say we bid on a bunch of them and say we either take all of them or none of them or then separable and because of our fiber we picked primarily separable because we picked ones that were on fiber so each one sort of stood on its own
[35:13] and of course if we win more of them and there's a little bit of efficiency connecting from project unit to project unit but they were basically they also play little blobs across the state and there was public comment on those and there was >> and the ability for carriers to influence those.
[35:32] but that was >> that was a project into it its own self. We think the state did a pretty good job to assign them so we were not actively involved in and designing with the project units were and when we bid the latest round of bid was primarily an economic bid.
[35:55] you'd be changed from one version to another. The first version had maybe 12 different attributes this quarter to one hundred in the end was if you if you meet the standard of sufficient broadband >> then the generally the best economic bid one and in the case of marathon I think you can sort of see where where fiber exists
[36:18] and maybe there's not another middle mile fiber and I think that gives a leg up to the areas that we did >> I you well >> from. Is there any other more questions as robertson mr. Chair thank you.
[36:50] I just passed out >> you know >> not can't be toward matt because serenity was found which was seventeen seventeen addresses was found not to be able to meet the terms that has been reassigned to starlink I believe so but we'll will show you by color what various providers in the county to address aaron's question of of what got awarded through bid.
[37:19] >> I do have some question because when we improved the last binding or the borrowing use of the >> general fund, we we had a project scope >> in area and I think the responsibility of this committee is to review that previous map compared to where we currently are and to accept those changes.
[37:45] and could I just with ask about tussle >> to define where those changes are from the loop system that we had talked about a couple of years ago to two today and then I have a follow up. Go ahead. I see if you can can you take that one? >> sure.
[38:13] yeah, I think we're we're mainly speaking of the the I think it's forty five miles of the southern loop. I have to check the the distance er but that was the piece that was in question with the county and we >> were seen with the the county about the feasibility of constructing that southern going from the the highway twenty nine location down to lubbock camp and passing a couple of the towers along the
[38:38] way and >> the the the issue with >> constructing that piece is the feasibility of the construction s and maintenance and being able to pay for that construction and the maintenance over the years of that piece of fiber there are very few homes past it will be a significant deployment and
[39:09] and cost and we have to be good stewards of the money that was part of the bond agreement and reanalysis segment >> does not make it's not financially feasible. There are not enough people to serve along that road to pay for the infrastructure that would be put in the ground.
[39:45] there >> are opportunities to create a service this loop via microwave with the existing tower assets, said that are in place that surround this and that would be much more financially viable by just doing the the basic roic and being able to pay for that.
[40:09] so a little bit >> it's not a it doesn't make financial sense . >> it wouldn't it would be it won't be good for the company and it won't make financial sense for the county >> supervisor. I >> don't want to just pick up on again a aaron's questions relative to take rate and the take rate is a concern that we've had for four years.
[40:38] it in the normal would be a forty percent take rate in a given area given the fact that you are at it at best five percent that >> you know or lower you were how do you get the take rate up now? And the second question is is it if I were a person along the route
[41:05] and wanted to sign up for bug tussle, how soon would I have service to my home >> where you've got fiber in the ground that middle mile or that final mile? Well, we are currently but first let me just first question first question going green why has it been so low
[41:29] while >> we had we >> did not do a good job at marketing the assets that were available to the county constituents. We were we were spending the bond funds on constructing the digital infrastructure. We were not focused marketing.
[42:01] we didn't have the funding to focus on the marketing and what we're seeing is that well now what we're seeing now but >> we realized >> that we weren't doing a good job of marketing. We're spending so much focus on getting the construction, getting the assets on the ground that we weren't we were looking at the marketing now what we need to do now is to >> invest as part of this the
[42:23] broadband the bonding program for the future is working with, you know, the counties and the partnership with the county, the upgrades to the systems, the websites, the local partnerships and the awareness and the digital marketing departments that are actively in process right now to gain subscribers and improve >> the take rates >> that that is >>
[42:49] in process. And we we see that we >> went from a no marketing, no sales team to an extensive focus on sales and marketing at this juncture >> and then how long what if I signed up today? How would I have access to internet? So if I mr are >> lead-time is from a placement
[43:19] three days for installation >> is there any other questions so hire you >> to do so? This is a question for supervisor robinson as former chair of the broadband task force and for administrator lainer since you guys have been here longer than most all of us except for supervisor celebrity >> and and
[43:46] >> in dealing with the initial discussion regarding the south loop, the board made it very clear that this was one of the priorities that we wanted to engage in correct.
[44:16] were we ever approached by bug tussle >> as the plans >> had changed that we ever were we ever sought out for approval to change our approach in this regarding the dropping of the south loop in favor of the leather camp? I'll start I'll start with the last part you said it's not in favor of leather camp that was they are separate and distinct things but just to ground everybody again about how the the process move forward, the initial conduit issuance that
[44:41] the county participated in that twenty twenty twenty one time period was for as you alluded to simply what a loop a fiber loop with wireless assets towers throughout the bug tussle did approach the county with challenges related to the installation and project progression. That was the reason for the second bond of the second loan costs.
[45:21] cost overruns were a primary driver there so they had come back to the county board and made >> that request for quite simply additional funds to finish the project since that time those challenges as bug tussle laid out in the presentation to the county board please avery quarry and others please correct me if I'm wrong but
[45:44] those challenges have continued in terms of cost escalation and then as avery just pointed out, when the company bug tussle does the financial analysis to complete that >> portion of the what would make the the loop that southern portion it does not have significant return on investment to justify from their perspective moving
[46:09] forward. That said, the at the same time there are not sufficient project funds as a bug tussle pointed out at their presentation to the board not sufficient funds remaining in the project fund that is the total initial conduit issuance as well as the remaining loan funds to finish the project.
[46:37] so we have had ongoing discussions since late last fall with bug tussle relative to scope and other things. Jerry klein has been involved in those discussions. We've included on our side law enforcement relative to >> the impact of not completing the southern loop on on our ability and those discussions have continued.
[47:09] we developed I think the list of priority projects which I think were those ten eleven points that would give an adequate system not is perhaps the desired system that we we wanted at one time.
[47:34] but I think those discussions have been taking place for close to a year off and on and voyager if I may, >> we we I think the point in time where it was clear that the that bug tussle wanted to change the scope to reduce to not have the southwest to complete this loop.
[47:53] was it >> a january meeting that we had in green bay with them at that meeting we were clear that we believe that that was a change in scope that would require the board to approve it. We said at that time you are going to probably need to come to a county board.
[48:10] the june meeting was an educational meeting and before the june meeting I recall also reminding them that it's probably a change in scope that the county board needs to approve >> subsequent to that I've been I have met with them and ryan to talk about basically with this change in scope >> the original eleven teller locations, the sheriff's department about I think if I recall six of them are not going to be connected.
[48:31] recently we went back and said >> hey, we really need edgar which was a new one >> and sort of the context was this just a week or two ago to be clear, we was we definitely >> want to get on rainbow.
[48:45] what do we need to do to get on the rainbow >> tower which is up in the is just north of broke up by the way, and >> then we like since we're losing these other ones and we're going to have a discussion about changing scope we really like to get on edgar and I don't know if you guys are familiar with it but edgar has had some problems with fire paging so that was an ad I
[48:58] wouldn't say it was an ad in that it was more in my mind it was more hey, we're going to drop you're going to drop these other ones in the process of getting that approved. Let's be clear. We need these we need edgar as well so that that's the context of it.
[49:12] one of the thing if I may, mr. Year, I I want to reach out I want to go back to >> what supervisor robinson was was asking you guys at bug tussle in the june board packet what you have up in front of me >> the >> the original map it was on there with the full loop and it said
[49:32] that it was the original length was eight miles. >> you talk earlier I think, avery, about dropping the southwest connection that's a piece of it that would have completed the loop that was approximately 45 miles long >> earlier in the in this discussion tonight >> today this morning you said that you had completed in your
[49:53] packet today's packet you have 201 miles. You had seventy four to go and you'd be at 281. So I'm a little confused about your math.
[50:08] the the the original plan in your june packet said that the whole loop is going to cost was going to complete two hundred >> and eighty eight miles in my mind were off >> by about 45 five miles. The what you should be showing today >> is >> is a project request change that ends up being forty five miles less than that was originally designed.
[50:29] so I >> would like you guys to clarify hey the original scope was this the board is going to be asked to change to this smaller scope and here's the mileage difference, mr. Robertson sorry supervisor that I have sort of an extension of what you were talking about.
[50:54] does that make sense? Is the right question for them ok, >> going to raise room? >> I think that that's assassinated by the fact that we had an agreement that led to the second issuance with the understanding system would be done.
[51:11] and if we're going to if we're going to modify that or accept last, I think there has to be official action by the part of the county so that we we can verify and document that that change and um is acceptable to the board and I think that's the issue before this committee. The reason that the june report came to the county board was there and there was an expected completion date of the project by by june of this year that included the southern loop.
[51:32] so that was what led to the presentation to the county board and now this committee is a broadband task force was abolished because there weren't any policy issues remaining. These are more operational issues and the infrastructure committee is now the primary committee or the committee of jurisdiction relative to broadband activities.
[51:57] the county supervisor >> go thank you service the question for gerry. So >> given the fact that the south loop is probably not going to happen now and we're moving to a backup of microwave transmission, do you see that being >> sufficient for our needs in that area of the county with what we have there? If edgar comes online, if everything happens according
[52:16] to plan, it won't be ideal but it will be at least functional. I would hope I think that's an accurate way to describe it. It >> would not be a deal is they need to definitely get to stratford.
[52:33] they need to get to it and they need to get >> to restore that allows us to use our own microwave backbone to complete basically rings so that we have rings. Rings are important. I think we talked about this before. The value of rings is they create redundancy when you have a problem with the equipment.
[52:50] so in any case that we delayed public safety, we want to make sure that there's always a primary connection and a backup >> way to do it if there's a problem and so is it's in my mind the >> stratford watertower, the hewitt tower which is the town hall there in the east tower are critical so that we can if if we use this for public safety for at least all of the
[53:07] towers that does connect to we can have some good redundancy in it and I have went over that with the sheriff's department and there they understand that it's it's not ideal but it's I can make >> it work. Reg watson , thank you chair.
[53:28] so I think gerry, didn't you ask a question didn't you say what's where's the discrepancy? Yeah, we need that answered. Yeah. So >> is is there going to be an answer? Yes, I'll I'll be answering that question here. I would like to take a moment to assess the line mileage and I the mileage that we have planned for in the end of the year.
[53:55] like I said that's we've got the two hundred one miles in the in the ground that are live today and another seventy four that are planned for completion this year. What we presented back in january was the original plan of two hundred eighty eight miles.
[54:26] so as far as the where would I would like to do a review and provide a summary of of differences there for the difference of the forty forty three miles. But what we have in the ground today in what is planned is going to produce two hundred eighty miles of fiber.
[54:51] avery this is land this is administrator leonard if I can make an ask I think to assist the committee in getting what they will need if we can utilize the original bond >> issuance documents that describe the project as well as the subsequent loan document and then create an addendum that essentially lays out just as you alluded to what is the revision in scope if you guys can work on that for a future
[55:16] future review by the committee? I think that would think that would be helpful and give us something concrete to to compare to and then to execute should the board wish to do that. But I don't think we're going to get to that today.
[55:32] to your point, let you do that review that you referenced and we'll bring that back >> to so we can provide that summary and >> then just make sure we stay on track if I may. Mr chair, is there anything else in open session that's plug tussle you want to discuss? I know you alluded to the potential the consideration of a future bonding request.
[55:55] do you want to give the broad terms of that in open session? Yeah, this is george quinsy. So with regards to the the broad request it would be to primarily it's a bond to primarily support our development of the bid program.
[56:21] it would be program as both the grant coming in but also a match to to to to >> take on in addition to fund passings both in terms as we we develop the more passings and have success in selling the passings, being able to fund each of the the builds to each customer site.
[56:49] it's to fund marketing and sales and it's also as we have some of the specific commitments facing us in the county. It's it's also to >> help us in effect finance some of those financing commitments.
[57:12] we are to be able to sort of bond more broadly it's in the forty five point fifteen dollars million range but it's also to be part of a multi county bonding with other counties across the state to be able to share in the revenues and share in the >> the the the attendance of the overall bond program across all of our bond counties. So that's the summary.
[57:38] I think we'll go into more details as you wish in closed session >> administrator lenders or anything else on this topic. I think that is sufficient. Again, there is a valid reason to go into closed session. I don't know, bryan, if you want to elaborate with the >> modification of scope and then just the general potential for litigation in that regard.
[58:04] yeah, I agree that >> the question would probably be necessary just to discuss the particular of the proposals brought forward by bug tussle and kind of what our options are going forward with the current project and you know, proposals for modifications and future binding issues.
[58:26] I do think it's appropriate to have bug tussle join us in closed session at least briefly >> to explain >> maybe some more of those confidential financial aspects of their business that probably should not >> be broadcast publicly at least, you >> know, from a competitive point so that >> you know, if we are going to move forward and there are you know, there are particulars about this project that >> I guess competitors don't know about
[58:45] that as a partner in this >> there's a relationship here. I think it's best to protect our own interests in that regards. I think close will be proper here today. Thank you. Go ahead, sir.
[59:05] so then we just need a member to make a three a second as soon as I announced it I'm looking for a motion to go and session motion. I got your second by second by shreiber. Oh I have to redo the >> I have to read it in motion.
[59:25] ok guya gryner prysner sorry >> moved to >> go into closed session person one to nineteen point eight five sub one sub deliberating negotiating the purchasing of public properties, investing in public funds or conducting other specified public business wherever whenever competitive or bargaining reasons require closed sessions and wisconsin statute nineteen point five sub one subject conferring with legal counsel for the governmental body who is rendering oral or written advice concerning strategy to be adopted by the body with
[59:43] respect or litigation in which it is or in which it is or is likely to become involved. The second of mr dumont paul watson >> I grier I I >> motion carried >>
[0:00] greiner's back we are out of closed session and we had a discussion is there any motion to arm law session that we'd like to make a motion to >> good. Yeah I got that ways I would like make a motion no one is sure >> thank you.
[0:25] the motion is to request for bug tussle to provide >> a detailed project scope >> change that explains the specific mileage changes power changes and a specific completion schedule for each proposed modification and a plan relative to increasing the take rate by the november infrastructure meeting to be considered and move to the county board of supervisors >> is their second by second
[0:52] taking their what watson to bring about >> and if I will send that to the bug tussle team should it pass today. Any other question motion hearing none all in favor say ay ay that >> motion is carried because we had such a long agenda.
[1:15] is there anybody interested in making motion to adjourn and motion by watson? Second, most of my watch and taken by right to adjourn all in favor say hi I thank you very much for hanging in. All