During the recent Winslow City Council meeting county Supervisor Fern Benally provided an extensive update on the county’s broadband initiatives and what it means for Winslow.
Supervisor Benally began her report by detailing the progress of the Middle Mile Fiber Project, a cornerstone of the county’s efforts to improve broadband services. “The county’s Middle Mile Fiber project continues to progress on schedule towards completion by July of next year,” she told council. Currently, the project stands at 30% completion, marking a significant milestone in infrastructure development. This project involves laying down fiber-optic cables that will serve as the backbone for high-speed internet, ensuring that underserved areas within Navajo County gain reliable and fast internet access.
However, this project does not include Winslow. Winslow has the unfortunate position of being off State Route 77, which connects the rest of the biggest cities in the county. This means for this project to include Winslow it would have to cost significantly more to get the infrastructure that far west. This was not originally an issue because when the county’s project was first putting shovels in the ground the State of Arizona had a project lined up that would connect Flagstaff to California going west and east from Flagstaff to New Mexico, which would connect Winslow in the process. However earlier this year when the state was grappling with a budget crisis, they cut the project going east. This puts Winslow in a position where it does not know when and how they will get this critical infrastructure.
Benally described the county’s solution to the issue: a collaboration with Arizona Public Service (APS) to further expand fiber connectivity. “APS is continuing to move forward in their efforts to build fiber from Flagstaff to Joseph City. This project will not only supply the backbone fiber needed to feed the county’s middle mile, but also provide great opportunity for expansion in the Winslow area,” she explained to the council. This partnership is pivotal as it not only supports the existing Middle Mile project but also paves the way for future expansions, particularly benefiting the Winslow region by enhancing its connectivity and supporting economic growth.
Connecting Winslow to reliable internet infrastructure is crucial for the next steps the city is developing towards. For example, the I-40 Tradeport development in Winslow will likely see a significant portion of the project going towards data centers, something that simply would not be feasible to have without this infrastructure. Winslow-Lindbergh Airport already has installed what is called “dark fiber”, which just means that the fiber has been installed but it’s not connected to the rest of the world.
Supervisor Benally also introduced the efforts of the Broadband Expansion and Access Taskforce (BEAT), a collaborative initiative involving the county, towns, and cities within Navajo County. Benally said, “The county and all of our towns and cities, including Winslow, formed a BEAT task force to assure that these funds are appropriately allocated to build out Internet in our county.” The BEAT task force plays a crucial role in ensuring that the allocated funds are used effectively to develop robust internet infrastructure across the county.
A key component of the BEAT initiative is the upcoming competitive selection process led by the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA). “The Arizona Commerce Authority will soon be opening up the process to select internet service providers to build high-speed, high-capacity internet to all underserved and unserved residents of Navajo County,” Supervisor Benally told council. This competitive process is expected to be completed by early November, and Supervisor Benally encouraged local businesses and community members to support their preferred internet service providers (ISPs) by submitting letters of support, as “firms get extra points in the ACA process if they have letters of local support.”
The ongoing broadband expansion is poised to transform the digital landscape of Navajo County, providing residents with better access to essential online services, educational resources, and economic opportunities. Communities like Pinetop/Lakeside have already seen the negative impacts of not having enough internet. With so many of that community’s population being people’s second home.
The work-from-homers are demanding more and more from current infrastructure, which is largely outdated. As the Middle Mile Fiber Project progresses and partnerships like the one with APS strengthen, Navajo County moves closer to achieving comprehensive broadband coverage, fostering a more connected and thriving community.
For further details or to support the broadband initiatives, residents are encouraged to contact Supervisor Fern Benally’s office directly or participate in the upcoming selection process by submitting letters to the ACA of support for their preferred ISPs.
The council also approved an amendment to the purchase and sale agreement with Atlas Global Development. The amendment gave the council another six months to hammer out the details. The council made a similar extension earlier this year but say that they are very close to finishing an agreement that will be taken in front of council and the public.
In other business the council:
*Approved two proclamations declaring Nov. 1, as Extra Mile Day and November as National Native American Heritage Month.
* Approved an application for a liquor license for Romo’s Mexican Grill, located at 703 Airport Road.
*Authorized acceptance of a $10,714 and $4,286 grant from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety for employee related expenses to enhance the traffic enforcement and DUI prevention.
*Approved professional services agreement with Stage One Business Solutions, LLC to offer business services to local businesses at an annual cost of $65,000.
* Approved professional services agreement with White Mountain Economic Development for an economic feasibility study at a cost of $45,000 covered by a grant and city’s match will be in kind staff hours.
* Approved a $500 donation to Winslow High School for a new bulldog mascot suit.
* Approved a request for police assistance and the waiving of vendor fees for the 77th annual Winslow Christmas Parade.
The next meeting of the Winslow City Council will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 12, in the meeting room located at 523 W. Second St.
