Supervisor White updates Arcadia broadband progress
I want to provide an update on the broadband project in the northern end of Botetourt County, particularly in the Arcadia area. As you may know, Botetourt County has been actively working to improve broadband connectivity throughout our community since 2017. The Botetourt County Board of Supervisors and county leadership recognize that access and affordability to reliable internet coverage is more critical than ever before, and the county wants to ensure that ALL of our citizens and businesses have the opportunity to have broadband connectivity.
Botetourt County has been in discussions with BARC Connects to build broadband connectivity in partnership with Dominion Energy in the northern end of the county. BARC Connects does not currently have customers in Botetourt County but does serve residents in neighboring Rockbridge County. I, along with County Administrator Gary Larrowe, Director of Economic Development Ken McFadyen, and several affected citizens met with BARC and Dominion Energy on November 21, 2023, to strategize plans for making the build a possibility and to better understand why there had been delays in communication and progress on this project. Subsequent to this meeting, Botetourt County has been informed by BARC Connects that they will not be able to complete the planned internet project in the county as originally proposed. Upon learning this information, we recognized the urgency of the situation and began to devise a plan to continue the project without the partnership of BARC Connects.
Here is what is being done as we move forward. At the December 19, 2023 board meeting, the Board of Supervisors took action to discontinue the partnership with BARC so that we can work with Dominion Energy to seek another internet provider to take over the project and complete the installation. County staff is now working actively on other ways to make this build possible. They have worked countless hours to strategize how to provide internet service to the affected 671 addresses and have applied for a Virginia Telecommunications Initiative Grant (VATI) in partnership with LUMOS and Dominion Energy to make this build a reality. This grant was submitted on December 19, and much credit for this quick submission goes to the herculean effort of Ken McFayden and his team, as well as our Dominion and LUMOS partners.
I understand the frustrations associated with this delay as I am personally affected by this as well as many of you. Rest assured; we are unwavering in our commitment to making broadband accessible to all. And I will not rest until everyone has access to this necessary utility. As I stated when Senator Warner visited Botetourt earlier this year – “every address matters.”
I promise to keep you informed as this situation evolves and most importantly, I wish you much health, happiness, and prosperity as we look forward to what 2024 has in store for our community. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at awhite@botetourtva.gov. Enjoy this beautiful season and Happy New Year to all!
Amy White, Vice-Chair
Botetourt County Board of Supervisors
