Council selects site for broadband building

RITZVILLE – The City Council has tentatively agreed on a "co-location" site to house broadband internet services.

During a Tuesday, July 18, meeting, the council tentatively agreed to using the city's former fire station on West First Avenue.

The site features a 12-foot by 12-foot building and two smaller structures and will be used to house a backup generator and fiber-optic storage vault.

In a letter to the City Council, Adams County commissioners described the building as "a small building where all of the electronic components of the system will be housed."

They noted that the building will be accessible to any internet service provider, and all provider hookups will be located jointly with other providers.

Commissioners said the broadband facility needs to be centrally located in the city, so a minimal amount of fiber can be used to reach all areas from one spot. The site also must have access to basic utilities.

"The design phase of the project is moving along nicely," commissioners wrote in the letter.

At the City Council meeting, Public Works Director Dave Breazeale said the county discussed putting this "fiber building" in several locations and found the site next to the old fire station the most viable.

"We have about 30 feet of non-used space," Breazeale said. "I don't see a problem placing it there. It's just a 12-by-12 building.

"They will also need space for a backup generator and bulk storage, and want to be located near Adams Street because there's already fiber along that street."

Councilman Scott Yeager, who also works as county engineer, agreed.

"That's the main reason we chose that location," he said. "Although the county has property near that parcel, it was too far to tap into the existing line."

Breazeale said the broadband building won't interfere with any of the city's day-to-day operations.

"The building also will be set far enough back so vehicles will have a clear view at the intersection," he said.

City Attorney John Kragt then asked, "Does the county have a proposed compensation arrangement for this project?"

Breazeale responded: "Before deciding anything permanent, we need to look into that. We need to determine what the city will gain financially from leasing the property. For far too long the city has been taken advantage of with long-term leases. These 50-year 'good-old-boy-handshake-deals' need to stop.

"That said, I think this is a great location."

Kragt said the lease term for the broadband facility should be a maximum of 10 years.

Clerk/Treasurer Julie Flyckt made a few closing remarks.

"This agreement will constitute a big step forward in the design process," she said. "It sounds like everyone agrees that this location is feasible, so I'll get back to Petrichor Broadband (the Washington consulting firm hired to design the broadband infrastructure).

"We'll work out the details of an agreement and bring it back to the council for a vote."