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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL—March 8, 2010 22 71 Adopt Resolution 2010-01 S, a Resolution Pledging Public Support for American Fiber System's Application to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration for the Construction of a Community Broadband Network within the Twin Cities North East Metropolitan Area to Include the City of Arden Hills and to Authorize the Acting City Administrator to Execute Letters of Support to Agencies Seeking Support of Additional Grant Opportunities (continued) Acting City Administrator Iverson stated since 1998, the City of Roseville has actively engaged other municipalities and governmental agencies for the purpose of sharing information technology services. Applications for the Broadband Technology Opportunity Program's second and final round are due March 26, 2010. Mr. Terrance Heiser, Network Manager, stated the vast majority of connectivity for cities is currently provided by the Comcast-owned Institutional Network (I-Net), under the terms and conditions of each city's respective local cable franchise. However, recent changes in cable regulations have brought into question the requirement of cable operators to provide services such as institutional networks. Without the ability to use the I-Net it is estimated that the cost to lease broadband service lines would cost in excess of $300,000 annually for this consortium of agencies. Some cities have begun installing municipal-owned fiber to connect critical city facilities. Securing the interconnections between cities presents a financial challenge. Fortunately, agencies in this consortium have a new opportunity to meet this challenge through the Federal Stimulus Plan. This plan provides grants for deploying broadband infrastructure through the Broadband Technology Opportunity Program (BTOP). The purpose of the BTOP grant is to increase broadband penetration into un-served and underserved areas of the United States, to enhance broadband capacity at public computer learning centers, and to promote sustainable broadband projects using public/private partnerships. The City of Roseville manages an established technology partnership with metro area municipalities and service organizations including fire service districts and a watershed management district. Collectively this group is called Metro-INET. Currently the agencies of Metro-WET rely almost exclusively on the use of the Comcast provided Institutional Network for the facility network interconnections necessary to cost share information technology services. The City and the consortium group have been approached by American Fiber Systems (A-FS) to enter into a public/private partnership to build a fiber network that will replicate the I-Net. AFS seeks to expand their network and services to businesses in the northeast metro area and is seeking federal funding through the BTOP grant to accomplish this goal. AFS would serve as the grant applicant and members of Metro-INET are asked to serve as public sponsors of the grant application and the public beneficiary by virtue of a grant to use the AFS Fiber network to interconnect the public safety facilities and other public buildings within our networking group. In total, AFS is proposing to provide to Metro-INET access to 140 route miles of fiber. If awarded, the BTOP grant will cover up to 70% of the cost of the project. AFS estimates the total cost to be approximately $8 million and AFS has indicated that the remaining 30% will be covered by AFS in exchange for public sponsorship and support of the AFS grant. AFS has requested a contribution to the annual maintenance of the 140 route miles in the amount of$49,000 per year. This cost will be divided amongst the members of the Metro- INET on an equitable basis using a cost sharing methodology developed by the Metro-INET Users Group. Mayor Harpstead clarified the Council is being asked to publicly support the grant application.