BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Many Brown County residents could be getting faster internet after the county board of supervisors voted Wednesday night to loan $27.2 million to build a faster network.
The county is loaning the money to Bug Tussel Wireless, a Green Bay-based internet provider that specializes in bringing internet access to rural areas.
The 15-year loan does not include interest, which did not sit well with all of the supervisors.
“That makes no sense to me at all,” said Barbara Avery, a county supervisor.
Others pointed out the county pays millions of dollars to for-profit companies to do things like building highways and never sees that money again.
“We’re going to get something back,” said Richard Schadewald, a Brown County supervisor. “We’re going to own it and they’re going to pay us back. Now that’s a $27.2 million gain for the taxpayer.
By FCC standards, high speed internet is 25 megabits per second.
Under this plan, almost all of Brown County will have access to at least that speed of service.
Fiber will be put in to bring other residents’ internet speeds up to 300 megabits per second.
Eight towers will also be built to strengthen the county’s 911 network and also improve cell service.
Bug Tussel says it is talking with other providers who would also provide service off this improved network.
The final vote was 20 to 4, with those in opposition wanting to wait to see if state money could be accessed.
“I’m just not sure about the money aspect and from what I understand from other things through the village, once you fund something the state is not going to put money into it,” said Dave Kaster, a Brown County supervisor.
Supervisors Kaster and Avery were joined by Supervisors Patrick Buckley and Andy Nicholson in voting against the loan.
Bug Tussel says it hopes to start construction on this project next spring with many homes seeing improved speeds over the following 18 months to 3 years.
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