Two years ago, Leelanau County contracted the Opelika, Alabama-based Point Broadband to provide high speed internet to “unserved” and “underserved” homes in the county by the end of 2023. Unfortunately, the project has turned into something of a debacle. About three-and-a-half months into the new year, only about 38% of the “unserved” areas are now serviceable, and the county consultant no longer seems to believe they’ll be done by the end of 2024 either.
The county’s consultant on the project, Chris Scharrer, attributes these delays to the county’s failure to reach an agreement with the Grand Traverse Band, the increased costs of labor and materials, and organizational structure changes within Point Broadband – most notably with the creation of a new company president position, occupied by Patricia Martin.
The county has gone through its own fair share of changes since signing the Point Broadband contract, as it recently welcomed former Traverse City Mayor Richard Lewis as interim administrator. Although Lewis’ time with the county is expected to just be a few months, he seems to already be making his presence felt in talks between the county and the internet service provider.
