The Knox County Board’s award of $2,115,000 in community matching grants to three broadband infrastructure projects has led to State of Illinois Connect Illinois Round 3 broadband infrastructure grants totaling more than $12 million. Connect Illinois grants will fund the extension of highspeed fiber-optic broadband to more than 1300 previously unserved and underserved rural locations across five Knox County townships.
Coupled with investments by regional internet service provider Oneida Telephone Exchange and national provider Frontier totaling more than $4.8 million, Knox County will see a total of $17 million invested in gigabit-speed fiber-optic broadband over the next five years.
Oneida Telephone Exchange’s projects will reach un- and underserved locations in Rio and Henderson townships, while Frontier’s project will reach similar locations in Chestnut, Cedar and Indian Point townships. Together, these three projects will bring fiber connectivity to more than 65% of the un- and underserved locations in the County.
“You can’t overstate the importance of this investment to the economic vitality and the quality of life of rural Knox County,” said Knox County broadband coordinator David Amor. “Whether you’re talking about precision agriculture, access to telehealth services, or possibilities for remote employment and remote learning, high-speed internet is now just as essential as electricity to our 21st century lives.”
“This is an essential investment in our county’s future,” said Knox County Board Chairman Jared Hawkinson. “The Knox County Board is proud to partner with Oneida Telephone, Frontier and the State of Illinois to connect rural homes and businesses to fast, reliable fiber internet that will improve everyday life and open up new possibilities for our community.”
While the bulk of the funds are coming from the State of Illinois and the broadband companies, the County’s dedication of a quarter of its $9.4 million American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to incentivize broadband investment was crucial to the success of these projects.
“DCEO’s Illinois Office of Broadband is proud to work hand-in-hand with Knox County to ensure all residents have access to quality, high speed internet, “said Devon Braunstein, DCEO Deputy Director, Office of Broadband. “From their participation in community broadband planning efforts to their ability to secure a significant local investment, Knox County exemplifies how local government can make a lasting impact on achieving universal connectivity.”
“Knox County’s matching grant funds are more than just a financial boost—they are a vital investment in the future of Knox County, ensuring every corner of our county can connect, compete, and thrive in the digital age,” said Troy Nimrick, general manager of Oneida Telephone Exchange.
“Our Connect Illinois Grant and partnership with Knox County will allow us to advance our fiber build to meet the critical connectivity needs of rural residents and businesses,” said Veronica Bloodworth, Frontier’s chief network officer. “We are dedicated to bringing the people of Knox County the high-speed fiber internet they need to succeed in the digital economy. That’s what Frontier’s purpose, Building Gigabit America, is all about.”
The idea of dedicating a portion of the County’s ARPA funds toward securing more rural broadband surfaced soon after the County learned of the impending award in the spring of 2021, and in March 2022 the County Board formally allocated around a quarter of its unobligated ARPA funds, $2.4 million, to that purpose.
Starting in January 2022, the County participated in the Illinois Office of Broadband’s Accelerate Illinois Program, designed to prepare communities to address the current state of local broadband service and work with internet service providers. A Broadband Steering Team composed of County Board members and community leaders participated in a 12-week webinar. They also conducted a community survey documenting internet connectivity, speeds, reliability and number of devices that was taken by more than 1100 respondents drawn from all 20 townships across the county.
In April 2023, the Broadband Steering Team invited regional internet service providers interested in seeking support from the County to submit their plans for expansion within the County, and in June recommended that the County Board approve the matching grants to Oneida Telephone and Frontier. In addition, the County made two smaller grants: one, for $117,000 to NextLink, a fixed wireless provider, for additional equipment and towers to extend its reach to locations in Galesburg, Knox, Lynn, Sparta, Orange and Salem townships; and one to Mid-Century Communications, of $20,000, to extend its fiber network to locations along US 150 east of Knoxville, including the County’s Highway Department.
The Broadband Steering Team was a crucial part of the County’s success. Convened by then-County Board Vice Chair Amor, the Team included Ken Springer (Knox County Area Partnership for Economic Development), Hayley Hennenfent (Knox County Farm Bureau), Josh Gibb (Galesburg Community Foundation), Jim McNelly (West Central FS), Carrie McKillip (University of Illinois Extension), Rebecca Friedrich (Knox County South Multi-Township Assessor), and representatives from the ROWVA and
Williamsfield school districts. County Board members included Jared Hawkinson, Robert Bondi and, starting in 2023, Greg Bacon. Also participating were representatives from Oneida Telephone, Mid-Century Communications, and Comcast, as well as the County’s GIS Coordinator, Bill Lotz.
Contact Information and questions:
Scott Erickson, Knox County Clerk/Recorder
Phone # 309-345-3815
Email – serickson@knoxcountyil.gov
***Courtesy of the Knox County Clerk and Recorder***
