State grant funds could help supply long-needed broadband access to the Jabez community.
On Monday, representatives from the Lake Cumberland Area Development District and Duo Broadband spoke to the Russell County Fiscal Court about a $6.7 million grant to provide broadband services to the Jabez community.
The application needed a contribution from the fiscal court amounting to around $250,000. County Judge Executive Gary Robertson said the county would utilize federal funds from the American Rescue Plan for the project. ARP funds can be used for infrastructure needs such as broadband.
Waylon Wright, a representative with the Lake Cumberland Area Development District, told the fiscal court that there are around 400-500 homes in the area that are underserved in terms of broadband access.
The funds that the county approved will not be used unless the grant is approved. The grant application has to be submitted near the end of October and officials hope to know if the grant has been approved by December.
