Fort Dodge, Iowa Leans Toward Municipal Fiber

After more than a year of study, the Fort Dodge City Council has indicated their preference for a municipally owned and operated fiber utility over a public-private partnership.

The City's research into fiber has been operating on parallel tracks over the past several months. They hired HR Green to conduct a feasibility study that included cost estimates and a business case for two options: a full municipal build and a public-private partnership where the City would build and own a conduit network and work with a private company to provide service. At the same time, the City issued a Request for Information that received responses from two individual companies and a consortium of local independent companies in NW Iowa. Each of the three indicated a willingness to partner with the City on a project.

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At a Council workshop last week, the Council was polled to see which way they were leaning, and all seven council persons indicated a preference for the full municipal model. City staff was directed to develp a plan to move along those lines.

CLICK HERE to read a story about the Fort Dodge fiber discussion at the Fort Dodge Messenger.