Waterloo Resuscitates Municipal Broadband Discussion

The Waterloo (Iowa) Telecommunications Utility Board of Trustees met for the first time in five years this week, and the first order of business was to consider a feasibility study.

The Board was formed after Waterloo voters approved a municipal telecommunications referendum in 2005. After meeting regularly for several years, the Board went into hibernation in 2014. Now, the desire by community leaders to see progress on better broadband opportunities for Waterloo has brought the group back to together.

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“I think it’s time. We’ve got communities all around us that have their own utilities when it comes to broadband.” -- Waterloo Telecommunications Utility Board of Trustees member Rich Kurtenbach

Earlier this summer, a task force interviewed several firms to gather information about possible next steps for the City. That task force has recommended that Magellan Advisors to conduct a feasibility study, but the Board did not take action on that recommendation pending further City legal review.

CLICK HERE to read more in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier