Realty check: Broadband sells
15 Nov 2018
Mille Lacs Energy Cooperative
A common theme among realtors within the area is lost sales due to a lack of adequate broadband, Economic Development Coordinator Ross Wagner told Aitkin County commissioners during its meeting on Sept. 11.
Wagner said, “The straw that broke the camel’s back was finding out that we are losing potential residents due to the lack of broadband in the area.”
The county was recently awarded an IRRRB matching grant, enabling it to award both SCI Broadband Inc and Mille Lacs Energy Cooperative an Aitkin County Broadband Development Grant of $150,000 each.
With this award, a total of 738 homes and two businesses will have a fiber network to their premise that will meet or exceed the state’s broadband speed goals. The total investment of $753,249 will expand broadband to Turner Township/Big Sandy Lake, Glen/Clear Lake, Farm Island/Spirit Lake, Workman/Big Sandy Lake.
“There are other projects going on as well,” Economic Development Coordinator Ross Wagner said. For example, residents successfully spearheaded a broadband project in Palisade.
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Tom Lambrecht