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ST. JOSEPH – Berrien County officials haven’t stopped their efforts to bring broadband to all area households. A new effort to get broadband service to 2,000 unserved parcels gets underway March 3 in advance of an April 9 deadline for state funding.

      Berrien County Commissioner Teri Freehling reported on the latest broadband efforts during her remarks at Thursday’s Berrien County Board of Commissioners meeting. Freehling chairs the BC Bit taskforce which has worked the last several years to expand broadband in the county.

      Freehling said that there will be a meeting Monday, March 3 at 10 a.m. at the County Administration Building to give local municipal leaders the chance to learn more about BEAD state grant funding. BEAD stands Broadband Equity Accessibility Deployment and is being funded from state and federal sources.

      Freehling said the $1.4 billion grant program is open to internet service providers and doesn’t require local municipalities to provide any funding.

      The county’s previous broadband efforts involved the ROBIN (Realizing Opportunity with Broadband Infrastructure Networks) grant where grant funding was provided to internet service providers with funding matches from local and county entities.

      The ROBIN effort resulted in broadband service being expanded to a majority of previously underserved, rural parts of the county. Both Berrien County and local municipalities contributed to the project by using the American Rescue Plan Act funds they had received.

      “We still have about 2,000 parcels that are unserved,” she said. “We have invited municipal leaders to come Monday and learn more about the BEAD effort and provide letters of support for the internet service providers.”

County Administrator Brian Dissette said he wanted to stress to local officials that there are no out of pocket expenses for local or county entities. “The meeting is only for internet service providers to say what they’re applying for,” he said. “This will be lightest of lifts for municipalities, they only need to write letters of support.”

      “We’re getting to the end of getting everyone connected,” he added. “Several internet service providers are planning to attend and make presentations. This is not a grant to local or county governments but direct to the internet service providers. We’re only asking for support statements.”

      In broadband related action, commissioners Thursday approved a new contract with DCS Technology Design for work related to the BEAD and other broadband grant programs. The county has worked with DCS for the last few years to assist them with the broadband expansion efforts.

      DCS was initially paid $18,000 a month in 2023 for six to 12 months of work providing technical assistance. The contract was extended at a $15,000 a month rate last year and is now being extended through 2025 at the $15,000 a month rate.