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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBC 2025-07-25Town of Dryden Broadband Committee Meeting Friday, July 25, 2025 – Via Zoom Approved Minutes Attendees Graham Dobson – Broadband Committee Tony Salerno – Broadband Committee Joel Cisne – Broadband Committee Jason Leifer – Town of Dryden Supervisor Dan Lamb – Town of Dryden Deputy Supervisor Brad Penney – Vantage Point Solutions – Project Engineer Tracy Monell – Gleamon Technology Shawn Scorzelli – Syracuse Utilities Eric Beckhorn – Clarity Connect Dave Makar – Executive Director Amanda Anderson – Director of Finance and Personnel Cassie Byrnes – Confidential Secretary to the Town Supervisor Ray Burger – Planning Director Matt Kinast – Accounting Assistant Dave Makar called the meeting to order at 10:33am Second of 2 Monthly Meetings – Discussion Meeting Introductions – Dave Makar The Public Broadband Committee has one open seat, and D Makar encouraged committee members to recommend potential candidates D Makar read the Dryden Fiber Mission Statement aloud: “Our mission is to provide reliable, affordable, high-speed, fiber-based internet access. We offer state-of-the-art technology and unmatched customer service.” • D Makar will be sharing this mission with at least 19 other participants in the MIP program, at a workshop for the recipients, covering reimbursements, getting funding, and expanding their projects  The MIP program was impressed with Dryden Fiber’s marketing plan, submitted by D Makar, and was thrilled to have him present that plan at the workshop Construction – Dave Makar • PoPs: We currently have 3 PoPs on the project (1 in Freeville near the Rail Trail, 1 on Pinckney Road, and 1 on Yellow Barn Road) o Generators have been installed for power backup, and we will now maintain electricity even when we lose NYSEG electric  Freeville and Pinckney are on natural gas  Yellow Barn propane is coming next week  Fencing to follow (to be installed by Highway Department)  The committee members discussed the need for monitoring and maintenance schedules for the generators, as well as concerns about grounding and bonding issues at the PoP sites • Hanford Drive – Splicing Bid o We requested bids from 3 vendors o 2 vendors provided bids: $813.50 vs. $3,490.00 o We have selected one and will notify ASAP o We will monitor the project • Major Construction Bid – North of Route 13 Yellow Zones o We have plans to combine construction and splicing into a single bid for this larger project, aiming for a complete package rather than piecemeal contracts o Legal documents are with attorneys o Bid documents will be ready by 7/31 o Bids due 8/14; Award by 8/21 o Construction and splicing to follow • Caroline Construction of Central Office (PoP) o Plans for construction are being finalized o This will go to bid o Groundbreaking planned for October • Pole Permits for MIP Project o Moving through LaBella, NYSEG, and electrical make-ready vendors o We should see major movement (18 permits, 50-150 poles each) by 8/31 o B Penney added that construction work will follow once make-ready activities are completed • Fiber Optic Cable Installation Challenges o D Makar explained the complexities of the make-ready process for installing fiber optic cables on existing poles, highlighting the need to navigate multiple utilities and adhere to strict clearance requirements  Emphasized the importance of public awareness and cooperation during construction, as the work will involve lane closures and traffic disruptions  While the electrical components on the poles are off-limits, multiple trucks will be used to handle different aspects of the installation, such as adding strands and slicing for MSTs Grant Disbursement Agreement – Dave Makar We heard from NYS on 7/24/25 – The GDA will be available after the Empire State Development (ESD) board meets in September The goal is to sign the GDA in October after careful review The first reimbursement submission will be for spending through 8/31/25, and will be submitted by 10/31/25 • From now through August, we will be working on the milestones, making sure that we have achieved everything that NYS needs us to achieve as part of the GDA • From September 1st through October 31st M Kinast and A Anderson will gather all invoices • We expect the first reimbursement to take between 90 and 180 days (mid to late Q1 2026) Installations – Dave Makar Multi-Dwelling Units (MDUs) face three unique challenges: • Having enough fiber to service all the units in the building (or Mobile Home Park) o This is why there are some spots within green zones that are yellow, especially in the Village of Dryden • Getting access to the right place in the building (ex. Utility Room) • Determining technology from Utility Room to individual units MDUs in Design Engineering with Vantage: • Willowbrook • 12-14-16 Lake Street • 1062 Dryden Road • Freeville Cottages • Mott Road Mobile Home Park What is Needed for each MDU: • Map/Diagram from property owner • Onsite engineering review (Vantage) • Network plan (bringing in enough fiber for all units) • Review plan with property owner (aerial, underground, etc…) • Assign work for construction • Open area for installations (to residents) • Begin installations MDUs are a big opportunity for the project, as one MDU could be 20, 50, or more units of rentals in the green zone Each MDU has its own unique set of challenges Discussion / Q&A – Dave Makar While MDU projects are a priority, the focus has been on the MIP project (reaching every unserved and underserved home in the town) • Due to limited engineering resources • B Penney added that Vantage is not throwing MDU projects on the back burner, as they know they are a good revenue opportunity for the town G Dobson raised concerns about ensuring proper installation verification of work being done securing poles and hanging fiber • B Penney assured the committee that this would be handled through Vantage’s quality control process, which is part of the contract with Vantage The meeting adjourned at 11:30am Respectfully submitted, Cassie Byrnes Confidential Secretary to the Town Supervisor