Written by Patricia A. Scheyer, LINK nky contributor
The Boone County fiscal court presented an update on its county-wide broadband effort.
Judge/Executive Gary Moore, County Administrator Jeff Earlywine, and Assistant County Administrator Matthew Webster explained that crews are working all over the county.
A contract was signed in March of last year with Cincinnati Bell to offer high-speed broadband, with one gig of service, to every address in the county.
Boone County has committed $13.6 million after leveraging available grant and partner funding, and that in turn has generated an investment by Cincinnati Bell of more than $30 million to fund this project.
Boone County is paying for its portion through funds from the federal American Rescue Plan.
“The time is now,” Moore said. “High-speed broadband to the door is the electricity of its day. Just think of the immediate need that we’re meeting for our residents.”
The project is due to be completed in March of 2023.
Earlywine said that the takeaway from the update is that they are right on schedule and Cincinnati Bell is confident that it can stick to the schedule.
“This is not an exclusive franchise,” Judge Moore said. “Other services can still operate and compete. Competition is good. We believe in the private sector.”
In other business, a first reading of an ordinance was heard that would approve six conditions from a request by Covington-based Corporex to change its concept development plan in an industrial, planned development zone. It involves a 4.8-acre site at the southwest corner of the intersection of Mineola Pike and Interstate 275, as well as a 0.9-acre site located along the north side of Olympic Blvd., between Mineola and Circleport Drive.
There are three parts to this land for the ordinance. Parts A and B are empty currently, except for some parking, but part C is 2.9 acres and is the location of the Courtyard Marriott, which is a 120=room hotel built in 1999-2000.
The old concept plan, developed in 1986, showed two office buildings, a six-story 120 room hotel, and a six-story 150 room hotel.
The new concept plan shows 19,000 square feet of retail in two buildings, plus the two existing office buildings, and the existing hotel, and another building which could be an office building or another hotel. The new plan shows five curb cuts, four of which already exist, and a fifth one which is a right-in, right-out curb cut.
The newer concept plan was unanimously approved by planning and zoning with conditions. The second reading will be January 25.
Robert Notton was chosen from among 50 candidates to be the new treasurer/director of finance for the county.
