Regular Session (Broadband Handout – Commissioner Campbell, 2/18/2025)

Executive Summary:

Leelanau County Broadband Fact Sheet

Sections:

Contract with Broadband Consulting Company DCS
– Leelanau County hired DCS through LIFT for an inventory survey, paying $42,660 in 2021.
– DCS was paid $40,000 in “Startup Fees” from March to May 2022, and $6,316 monthly from June 2022 to December 2023.
– Starting September 2022, payments to DCS were switched from the American Rescue Plan Act to the Leelanau County General Fund.
– DCS is being paid $5,000 most months from January 2024 for “ongoing negotiations” with various broadband providers.
– DCS has also been paid $8,000 per month to oversee construction phases.
– The total amount paid to DCS is $388,900.

Concerns with DCS Language and Compensation
– DCS is seeking a 60% raise for working with service providers, which raises questions given the BEAD program’s competitive bidding process.
– DCS is the only party authorized to review and approve the broadband work, raising concerns about independence and accountability.
– The “lobbying” part of the contract lacks accountability and is not performance-based.
– The contract does not require a project-end report, which was required in the previous contract.
– The contract does not provide sufficient information to the public, unlike Benzie County’s detailed broadband reports.

On the Need to Hire This (or any?) Coordinator
– The county board has rushed the broadband project, leading to costly mistakes.
– Approving the DCS contract before proper vetting would be another expensive misstep.
– Benzie County’s broadband project is costing $1.5 million in ARPA funds, with a consultant cost of around $20,000, compared to Leelanau County’s $17.5 million project.

https://www.leelanau.com/