Kendall County receives $15 million grant to help build broadband system

Plans for Kendall County to construct its own broadband system continue to move forward.

The county has received a $15 million grant from the Illinois Office of Broadband. Created in September 2019, the Office of Broadband is housed within the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

With the grant award, the county plans to develop a public-private partnership that will result in more than $40 million in investment in a community-owned broadband network. The project is expected to kick off this fall.

As proposed, the network would provide broadband access to portions of the county not currently served high-speed internet.

“What we aim to achieve in this community-owned infrastructure project is a holistic solution that connects those currently under and unserved while also making strides towards the future development of our community, such as priming key areas for economic development and bolstering emergency communication,” Kendall County Board member Zach Bachman, chair of the Connect Kendall County Commission, said in a news release. ”We believe this is the best way we can bridge our digital divide.”

More than 1,900 homes in Kendall County are considered unserved or underserved with internet access, according to county officials. In 2022, the county began assessing ways to bridge this gap.

The Connect Kendall County Commission was established in 2023 by the County Board to study connectivity and ways to deliver high-speed internet across Kendall County. The commission issued a request for proposals for a partner in constructing a middle-mile ring.

In September, the Kendall County Board approved Denver-based technology firm Pivot-Tech to be the county’s partner for building the broadband system.

“This project leverages federal funds available for broadband connection to benefit the residents and businesses of the county,” Kendall County Board Chairman Matt Kellogg said in the release. “This county-owned asset will support the needs of nearly everyone across the county and beyond.”

As part of the public-private partnership, Pivot Tech plans to bring more than $25 million in additional private capital and project-based revenue bonds to finance the project. The county intends to enter into a concession agreement for the finance, development, construction and operation of the network for an extended term.

The county will be a stakeholder in the network’s development and operation and receive a portion of the project’s profit.