04-03-2025
Willmar City Council declines Charter Communications offer in 4-3 vote
Mar. 3---- The
on Monday in a split 4-3 vote approved a motion declining to accept the offer by
to end the
Councilor Carl Shuldes made the motion, which was seconded by Councilor Vicki Davis. Both voted in favor of the motion, along with councilors Tom Gilbertson and Justin Ask.
Voting against the motion were councilors Rick Fagerlie, Tom Butterfield and Stephen Gardner. Councilor Audrey Nelsen was absent from the meeting.
Four Willmar residents spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting in favor of the Connect Willmar Initiative.
"I think the people of Willmar have spoken very loudly, very clearly, they want this to happen, and I'm in agreement with that," Shuldes said when making the motion to continue forward with the Connect Willmar Initiative.
This decision comes after Charter, which does business in the city under the name Spectrum and is the city's largest provider of internet and cable television services, on
stating that Charter would build out a fiber-optic network in the
at no cost to the city, but only if the city stopped its plan to construct a city-owned, open-access fiber-optic network throughout the whole city.
Charter also promised to upgrade its existing network to provide better, faster and more reliable service to Willmar businesses and residents.
After sending out a request for proposals to build out fiber-optic services in the industrial park, the city accepted
proposal to build the citywide network; Charter did not submit a proposal. The city of Willmar, with the assistance of the Willmar Broadband Committee and Hometown Fiber, has been researching and planning the Connect Willmar Initiative for two years and has invested approximately $650,000 and countless human resource and volunteer hours on the initiative.
The $24.5 million project will be funded with general obligation bonds, which, with interest, will be closer to $31 million. Fees paid by internet service providers who wish to operate on the network will be used to pay the principal and interest payments on the bonds, as well as the costs for network maintenance and operations.
A memo from the Willmar Broadband Committee was included in the City Council's packet of meeting materials "strongly" suggesting that the City Council move forward with the Connect Willmar Initiative.
"Charter Communications does not need Council approval to apply for a permit or install fiber in the industrial park, nor do they need approval to provide existing customers with higher internet speeds, more reliable services or competitive rates," the memo states. "Pausing this initiative goes against the community's need to increase service providers and offer more options to residents and business owners."
The memo goes on to state, "While there are risks associated with this endeavor, they are minimal compared to the inaction of private interests, which has added cost burdens to residents and businesses relying on an unreliable and dated coax network."
It notes that evaluations of the initiative show that it yields returns that could be reinvested in the city and provides a "more superior system than what is currently offered elsewhere in the state" and "forward-thinking cities must explore initiatives to create an environment that attracts and retains businesses and residents for growth."
This is a breaking news update from Monday's meeting. More about the discussion will be published later on
