Charles City County awarded $600,000 grant for high-speed broadband initiative

Charles City Board of Supervisors chairman Bill Coada (left) accepts a $600,000 grant check for upgrading the county's telecommunications from state Secretary of Commerce and Trade Maurice Jones.

Alan Chamberlain photo

With acceptance of a $600,000 community development block grant, Charles City officials are embarking on the first phase aimed at installing high-speed broadband Internet service in the county.

State officials helped the county launch the phase during a Monday afternoon check presentation in the county administration building’s boardroom. State Secretary of Commerce and Trade Maurice Jones, the event’s featured speaker, said awarding the grant is part of a state effort “to do things so a community can retain jobs, grow jobs, and help attract other businesses.”

Jones said the process involves taking advantage of assets that exist in the community. In Charles City’s case, that asset is the Roxbury Industrial Park and surrounding area that is targeted for phase one.

“There’s a need to make sure prerequisites for economic growth are in place,” he said, adding those include infrastructure, notably broadband access for homes and businesses.

“Unless we have project-ready infrastructure, we will not get the looks we need in order to grow the economy,” he said.

“This is another tool in your tool box to grow the economy,” he said, pointing to the Roxbury phase.

The $600,000 state grant, along with $55,000 in grant money supplied by the county’s Economic Development Authority, helps retain 175 jobs in Roxbury, Jones said. The industrial park is home to close to 500 jobs.

“We want to attract some more, and we can’t do it unless we have high-speed broadband access,” he said.

County Board of Supervisors’ chairman Bill Coada accepted the check, saying, “This is so important and so vital for our community.

“Charles City is committed to foster a business-friendly environment in the county,” he said in thanking local and state officials for their work in securing the grants.

County planning director Matt Rowe said, “This is the first real step for Charles City to improve telecommunications.

“This is the first phase,” he added. “The ultimate goal is to provide reliable and affordable telecommunications for all Charles City citizens.”

Two service providers reportedly have expressed interest in the Charles City project. Negotiations are ongoing, but no decision is expected until early next year.