CBX Business Broadband Expansion Grant Support
Clackamas County, through its Clackamas Broadband Exchange (CBX), is applying for a federal grant issued by the US Economic Development Administration to allow expansion of its current dark fiber ring to serve businesses. CBX currently serves ~270 governmental agencies by providing low cost, high-speed Internet connection, and is currently partnering with the City of Sandy’s “SandyNet” to bring high-speed Internet to rural homes. If CBX receives the grant, it would partner with SandyNet to offer that same low cost, high-speed ISP service to homes and businesses near to the existing 350 miles of CBX fiber network, at a cost lower than currently available. This is intended as an economic development and infrastructure support for businesses in Clackamas County, specifically related to helping reduce business costs in this very strange business environment.
Having a robust fiber ring and lower cost ISP service will help ensure Clackamas County’s businesses can effectively transition to remote fulfillment of services and employment. It could also attract businesses to Clackamas County with the knowledge that this low cost, reliable, and high performing infrastructure is available. That is why the OCBA is supportive of this effort and hope you will feel the same.
To be competitive for the grant, CBX is seeking letters of support from businesses. The letters are not a commitment to sign up for the service, merely an endorsement of the effort to enhance this key infrastructure. A form letter is copied below for your convenience. The target for the return of these letters is August 26, 2020, so please take a moment to copy the email.
Completed letters should be sent directly to Mr. Duke Dexter, the manager of CBX, at ddexter@clackamas.us. If you have questions about the program, you can reach him at 971 219 3339. OCBA member and SuperGenius founder Peter Lund serves on the County’s Economic Development Commission and is familiar with the effort and has offered to answer questions as well. He can be reached at peter@supergenius-studio.com. Thank you in advance for your support for this potentially regionally beneficial project!
August __, 2020
US Economic Development Administration
RE: Support for CBX Business Broadband Expansion Grant Application
This letter is in support of the US Economic Development Administration issuing a grant to Clackamas County concerning the CBX Business Broadband Expansion. The Clackamas County Broadband Exchange (“CBX”) effort has constructed a dark fiber ring that currently supports public institutions such as schools, city halls, and fire stations. It has a great deal more capacity to serve the residents and businesses of Clackamas County.
As a business owner, reliable high-speed internet at a reasonable cost is a key utility, one that is growing more essential in the changing business environment arising from the pandemic. The grant that would be issued to CBX would allow expansion of the fiber ring to serve businesses in our community, many in rural areas that currently do not have reliable, affordable service.
Therefore, I am strongly in support of this grant application and urge full approval and issuance of it at your earliest convenience. Thank you very much for your time and attention.
Sincerely
[Name]
[Title]
[Business Name & Address]