MiBroadband for customers, locals

—Asks Cresco to install antenna for better reception
Cresco - Mike Walton and Vassil Vutov of MiBroadband, a partner of MiEnergy Cooperative, attended the Cresco City Council’s Dec. 3 meeting, asking to install an antenna on the water tower.
Walton later explained, “This whole endeavor is based on our cooperative speaking to all our substations. Having a third-party vendor is not as adequate. We are establishing our own communications ring, which will allow us to offer excess capacity to help the broadband initiative and surrounding communities.”
Vutov stated, “With all the new technology, we need connectivity everywhere.” He said it became more evident when Hawkeye REC joined with Rushford Tri-County Electric Cooperative to form MiEnergy. The two offices needed to contact each other easily and efficiently and used a third-party vendor until they created their own network.
Officially in November, MiEnergy joined with Mabel Cooperative Telephone Company and Spring Grove Communications to make MiBroadband. The intent is to bring high-speed Internet to underserved areas. They are currently serving parts of Cresco from its 100 foot tower at the MiEnergy shop.
Not all residents of Cresco have a direct line of site to the tower and can’t get connected. “Cresco has a lot of trees. We want to place a few radios on the watertower to provide better service. It will provide service for a seven-mile radius around Cresco. It will provide better Internet here and for our own traffic,” Vutov explained.
City Clerk Michelle Girolamo reminded council, “Currently we have an antenna from Upper Iowa Communications. They pay rent one time a year.”
Council person Amy Bouska asked about the reliability of MiBroadband. Walton noted, “It won’t go out, because we need it, too.”
Bouska added, “We certainly need options.” Current Internet service providers in the Cresco area include Mediacom, Windstream and LTD Broadband.
Weather permitting, the antennas should be up and running by early 2019. After that, service will be expanded into the country and other towns in Howard, Winneshiek and part of Chickasaw Counties.
• In other business from the meeting, the mayor and city clerk entered into a Farm Lease Agreement to rent land belonging to the Cresco Airport to Bryan Schmitt at a price of $220 per acre for a three-year limit. He had been the renter for the past six years.
• Due to needing a performance bond executed for the fire building, a change order was submitted by CBS. The new total cost is $545,778.
• Police Chief Tim Ruroden got bids on a water heater in the police garage. Council requested additional quotes for a tankless water heater be brought to the next meeting.
• City officials have known there was a water main leak for a year, but they hadn’t been able to find it. They recently hired Steve Hiveley of Municipal Management Corp., who went through the whole town in a two-and-a-half day span. They found two leaks in the system and two in hydrants. 
Girolamo said the leaks amounted to about 25,200 gallons of water lost per day. The break-even limit for paying for the work is 100 days. “That should bring accountability up to 98-99 percent.” 
Public Works Director Rod Freidhof added 85 percent is considered pretty good.
• Total Tree was to start taking down ash trees later that week.
• Freidhof is working with Prairie Springs Recreational Bike Trail Committee and Howard County Conservation on a 3-5-year plan regarding the bike trail. There are some things that need to be  looked at soon.
• Ruroden said Connie Sindelar handed in her resignation letter for sending in crime reports every three months. The police department will look at dispatch members for a replacement.
• Girolamo advised council she had received a letter stating Mediacom cable was raising prices. Basic was raising $2.73, from $12.24 to $14.97; the sports package will increase 20¢; and Prime is going up $2.00.

Cresco Times

Phone: 563-547-3601
Fax: 563-547-4602

Address:
Cresco TPD
214 N. Elm Street
Cresco, IA 52136

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