- May 3, 2024
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Western Flagler County residents will get broadband internet connections through a new partnership between the county government and a private company called Charter Communications, with the county using $1 million in American Rescue Plan Act money to fund the westward expansion.
"We have moved fast and done it in a year," said Commissioner Joe Mullins, who's pressed for the broadband expansion. "That’s called getting results."
The project cost is expected to cost about $7.4 million overall.
"This is an example of Flagler County getting it right," said Greg Blosé, president and CEO of the Palm Coast-Flagler Regional Chamber of Commerce. "The way that your staff and Charter, this public-private conversation worked behind the scenes for months and months and months, really renewed my faith in government."
The three-phase effort to extend broadband service to approximately 1,144 homes on the west side will begin with a $4,965,267 Phase I that will include 823 connections. The county will cover $780,576 using money from a American Rescue Plan Act allocation. Charter will cover the remainder of the Phase I costs, with about half of its portion coming from a Rural Digital Opportunity grant.
Money is already in place for the first phase.
A second phase will add another 148 connections for $1,574,792. Funding for that phase isn't settled yet. The county expects to put in another $219,424 from ARPA allocations, bringing its total use of ARPA money to $1 million across the first two project phases. Charter would cover $296,000, leaving a $1,059,368 funding gap.
A third phase would cover another 67 connections for $887,331, with Charter covering $134,000 and the remaining money not yet accounted for.
