May 01, 2024
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Kendall County considers countywide broadband network

By Mark Foster
Kendall County Board Chairman Scott Gryder, right, presides over the March 15, 2022 board meeting as County Administrator Scott Koeppel, foreground, follows business on his screen. (Mark Foster -- mfoster@shawmedia.com)

Kendall County Administrator Scott Koeppel works at this computer during the March 15, 2022 board meeting. (Mark Foster -- mfoster@shawmedia.com)

YORKVILLE – Kendall County officials are considering the possibility of creating a new countywide high-speed fiber-based broadband internet network.

County Administrator Scott Koeppel has been promoting the idea and earlier this year commissioned a survey of residents to identify areas with poor internet service.

“Now is the time for Kendall County to move forward with exploring and determining what a financially viable and technologically advanced municipal network could look like,” Koeppel said.

The county faces internet connectivity challenges for families, schools, businesses and public agencies, Koeppel said.

That’s why the county will host a daylong series of forums on Aug. 10 at the Kendall County Office Building, 111 W. Fox St. in Yorkville, culminating in a town hall meeting.

At 10 a.m. will be a focus discussion for representatives of the emergency services agencies, the healthcare industry, utility providers and the Federal Emergency Management Agency

This will be followed at 2 p.m. by a session for schools and higher education institutions, libraries, government agencies and chamber of commerce representatives.

Finally, the town hall meeting for the general public will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

All of the sessions will include an overview of the assessment process now underway to determine the feasibility of establishing a countywide network, Koeppel said.

Kendall County is working on the broadband assessment process with Lit Communities, a consultant, builder, and operator of next-generation network infrastructure, Koeppel said.

“Focus group and town hall meeting participants will be asked for their input on existing internet availability and how increased speed and availability of broadband service would impact their organizations, businesses, communities, and family lives,” Koeppel said.

Information from the community survey also will be presented, he said.

The survey is available online and will be conducted until September.

Koeppel is encouraging residents to take the survey.

“We need your input on how best to achieve these goals,” Koeppel said. “Community input and this survey are vital components to making sure we get this right both financially and effectively.”