Jul 21, 2023 3 min read

The largest allocation for broadband expansion in the history of Washington County will extend high-speed internet to people living in some of the most rural areas in the county.

The county commissioners on Thursday unanimously approved a $27.67 million contract with Comcast to provide broadband service to 2,600 customers in numerous rural municipalities in the western and southern areas of the county.

Washington County will pay $8.97 million of the total cost using federal American Rescue Plan Act stimulus money, with Comcast paying for the remaining $18.7 million for the project.

“With this project we are continuing to invest in communities across the Commonwealth – and our region – enabling economic growth and improving quality of life for local businesses and families,” Comcast Keystone Region Senior Vice President Ray Roundtree said in a written statement. “This is an important milestone and one which we know has been made possible through our strong partnership with the commission and Washington County Authority.”

The commissioners also agreed to send a “letter of intent” about the expansion plan to the state Capital Projects Fund program in an effort to help Comcast apply for a $9.3 million grant to offset the cost of the project. If that grant money is not allocated, the county will be forced to scale back on the scope of the plan in order to come under budget.

There is no timeline for when construction will begin and changes could be made at a later date due to funding levels. This project effectively exhausts the $30 million in ARPA money earmarked by county officials for broadband expansion, meaning they will begin pursuing other grant options for future plans. Those final connections might be the hardest and most costly to finish due to the remote locations of the remaining customers still without access to high-speed internet.

Thursday’s approval nearly doubles the amount of money spent on the county’s broadband initiative that began in early 2022. Since then, the county has approved more than $60 million in multiple contracts to provide broadband service to about 7,500 unserved or underserved customers across Washington County. The installation costs have roughly been split evenly between the county using its ARPA money and the five different telecommunications companies that have been contracted to extend high-speed internet service through three separate phases.

“It will positively impact many lives and foster an equitable future for all residents,” Commission Chairwoman Diana Irey Vaughan said in a written statement about the project approved Thursday.

Also during the meeting, the commissioners unanimously approved an agreement with Susquehanna Accounting & Consulting Solutions Inc. of Harrisburg to provide general financial and consulting services to assist the county’s finance department, which is understaffed due to recent departures by the budget director and two other employees. The contract is expected to run indefinitely until the office is brought back to normal staffing levels.