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2 <br /> A larger initiative in terms of dollars, but at this time only tangentially related to broadband, is the <br /> County's Fiber Project Phase 1. Currently, the County is partnering with the Town of <br /> Hillsborough in order to reduce costs for both parties. The County and Town are currently in the <br /> process of vendor selection after successfully releasing an RFP in November 2017. Phase 1 <br /> was funded in Fiscal Year 2017-18, and Phases 2 & 3 are planned in upcoming fiscal years. <br /> Once complete, this project will connect County buildings from Cedar Grove to Carrboro and <br /> have fiber running east-west along the Highway 70 corridor connecting from the Efland Cheeks <br /> Community Center to points close to the Durham County line. The excess dark fiber will be <br /> available to other organizations and individuals outside of Orange County Government for both <br /> broadband and economic development purposes. This project is currently waiting for Town of <br /> Hillsborough Board of Commissioners approval. <br /> County IT staff has also attended and presented at multiple community meetings. Orange <br /> County IT attended and presented at the Schley Grange along with Internet Service Providers <br /> and State representatives, including NC House Representative Graig Meyer. <br /> Information Technologies has also been acting as a clearinghouse for all resident broadband <br /> service issue concerns. Typically, staff responds to every Orange County resident email and call <br /> personally and tries to facilitate solutions between residents and ISPs while at the same time <br /> setting realistic expectations. Often this is simply a matter of connecting residents with the right <br /> person in the ISP's organization and, after making introductions, checking back in to ensure that <br /> all parties are communicating effectively. <br /> Timeline of Relevant Events Past, Present and Future (Reverse Chronological Order) <br /> • October 2021 — A 36-month pilot project will be complete and the Manager and staff will <br /> offer a final report to the Board <br /> • September 2019 — Potential Phase 2 start date. <br /> • May - July 2019 — Verification of service across the entire Phase 1 area. Customers will <br /> be getting signed up and service delivered. <br /> • April 2019 — First Phase 1 customer will be signed up proving that initial equipment setup <br /> is working <br /> • February 2019 — Manager requests Board approval for Open Broadband tower <br /> agreement <br /> • October 2018 — Contract with Open Broadband was executed and the six-month clock to <br /> sign up the first customer and have them working begins. <br /> • September 2018 — Board approved awarding grant funds to Open Broadband. <br /> • May 2018 — RFP is advertised as per the County Attorney's recommendation. <br /> • March 2018 — RFP vendor(s) selection commences <br /> • January 2018 — Broadband RFP closes and vendor interviews commence <br /> • November 2017 — County solicits Broadband Request for Proposals (RFP) <br /> • June 2017 — $500k for broadband incentives approved in County budget <br /> • Late 2016 — County works with Representative Graig Meyer to set meeting with <br /> CenturyLink. This meeting paved the way for CenturyLink to provide budgetary numbers <br /> for improving broadband in its service area and those numbers were used as a base <br /> number for the FY 2017-18 $500,000 Broadband Incentive. <br /> • September - December 2016 — IT met with Federal Engineering and Emergency <br /> Services to discuss the positive impact proposed telecommunications towers may have <br /> on broadband services in rural Orange County. It was requested at that meeting that <br /> approximately 15' of vertical strata be reserved for placement of 3rd party wireless <br />