OROVILLE — The long road to bring broadband internet to rural Butte County is set to hit another milestone Tuesday, when the Butte County Board of Supervisors will be hearing an update on a feasibility study conducted locally as part of a larger statewide effort.
The origins of the Broadband Planning and Feasibility Study go back to May 2021, when the board hopped on a grant put forth by the Golden State Finance Authority, or GSFA, to come up with a way to plan for bringing faster internet to areas where it is lacking. Butte County contributed $25,000 for its part, and the grant was awarded more than a year later in September 2022.
The GSFA ultimately selected Tilson Technologies to conduct the study. The results of the study thus far will be presented to the board during its upcoming meeting. According to the presentation filed in the agenda item, Tilson Technologies compiled information from local businesses, internet providers and other local institutions.
The item states that it is informative only, though it is possible that the board could provide some kind of direction to staff based on the information.
Other business
Aside from the presentation on broadband internet, the board will look at and consider the following items:
• A public hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Tuesday morning regarding a resolution related to the Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration for a bridge replacement south of Oroville. The Central House Road Bridge Replacement Project would eventually replace the bridge located on Central House Road that passes over the Wyman Ravine.
• The board will consider placing liens on five properties throughout Butte County in a 10 a.m. item.
• A federal legislative update is scheduled for 11:10 a.m.
• The board will vote on a budget adjustment for services provided by Compassion Pathway Behavioral Health, which handles crisis residential treatment at its facility in Chico. If approved, the maximum amount the county would be able to pay the company would increase from $1,379,699 to $2,362,123.
The Butte County Board of Supervisors generally meets at 9 a.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month at its chambers located at 25 County Center Drive, Suite 205 in Oroville. Meetings are free and open to the public.