The Knox County Board approved granting American Rescue Plan Act funds to the Oneida Telephone Exchange to expand fiberoptic internet service to Rio.
Former County Board member David Amor, who know serves as the Broadband Coordinator for the county, detailed some of the logistics of the grant to the board Wednesday night.
“Oneida Telephone is submitting a proposal to the State of Illinois’ Connect Illinois funding program for a total project cost of $4.5 million and is asking the county for a $500,000 matching grant to add to their own investment as their local match component of that grant application.”
Amor continued that the county’s commitment of funds is contingent on Oneida Telephone Exchange receiving the funds by March of 2024.
He added that this grant application was the type of thing the county was hoping to see more of as broadband initiatives move forward.
ARPA funds were also allocated for the purchase of three new vehicles for the Knox County Sheriff’s Department.
Last year, the budget team had agreed with the Sheriff’s Department to use ARPA funds for purchasing the vehicles said Board Chair Jared Hawkinson.
“At the budget team’s and the finance committee’s advisement, we reduced that [budget request] to one dollar with the agreement that the three cars we would purchase this year would come from the lost revenue line, which would open up the $150,000 of general fund monies to be utilized for other activities that may be needed.”
The total cost of the three vehicles is $153,129 and will include not only the new Dodge Rams but all the equipment needed for the Sheriff’s Office to use them for patrol.
