PEAK Internet to install fiber optic lines in Lebanon

ALBANY — Linn County Commissioners Roger Nyquist, Sherrie Sprenger and Will Tucker approved a tax-exempt bond program that will help PEAK Internet run more than 101 miles of high-speed fiber optic lines in the city of Lebanon, greatly increasing Internet speed opportunities for homes and businesses alike.

The project will also affect users who live on Linn County properties interspersed within Lebanon’s boundaries.

PEAK Internet CEO Rick Petersen said the company will use up to $47 million secured by tax exempt bonds issued by the Arizona Industrial Development Authority.

Board Chairman Nyquist was concerned that the project might encumber Linn County residents in some fashion, but Petersen said the bonds will be repaid through user fees. Linn County residents will not be responsible for any of the debt except via monthly user fees for those who sign up for the high-speed service.

PEAK Internet is owned by Consumers Power of Philomath.

According to information provided to the commissioners, about 45% of the fiber optic lines will be buried and 55% will be installed on Pacific Power’s above-ground poles.

The project will provide one gigabit fiber connection to every customer on the network.

PEAK has been working toward this goal since 2018 and has previously installed fiber optic lines in the Lebanon area to about 350 customers.

The new project’s timeline was slowed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Petersen said, but a contractor is in place and ready to begin work after the first of the year.

In other business, the commissioners:

• Approved installation of two electric vehicle charging stations — one for county staff and fleet vehicles and one for the general public — at 330 SW Third SE, the county’s public parking lot and fleet maintenance site. Each station can charge two vehicles at a time, according to General Services Director Russ Williams.  The project will be paid for with a $53,000 E-Mobility Grant from Pacific Power and the Oregon Clean Fuels Program, plus a 25% match by the county. The project must begin by June 30, 2023 and be completed no later than May 30, 2024. Williams said that Linn County government serves all residents of Linn County and providing a charging station for owners of electric or hybrid vehicles is important. Linn County does not have electric vehicles in its fleet, but Williams said staff are studying the possibility of purchasing electric vehicles in the future.

• Accepted the annual audit report by Tara Kamp of Pauly, Rogers and Co. Kamp said the report was clean and said County Accountant Bill Palmer did an excellent job preparing the document. The commissioners asked the auditing firm to work with county staff to develop cash-handling protocols/auditing for every department. The complete annual audit can be found online at: https://www.co.linn.or.us/sites/default/files/fileattachments/accounting...
• Approved a sub-recipient contract for $126,000 with the Senior Citizens of Sweet Home for 5311 CARES funding. The funds will be used by the Sweet Home Senior Center/Linn Shuttle/Dial-A-Bus system.
• Approved extension of a contract by Sgt. Dusty Frenzel to continue through June 30, 2023.
• Were informed by Planning & Building Director Steve Wills there were 53 land use permits issued in November and there were 238 total building permits issued. No new permits were waived in the Santiam Canyon as part of the county’s fire recovery program.
• Announced the three commissioners may all be at the new Mid-Valley Intermodal Center ribbon cutting ceremony in Millersburg at 10:30 a.m. Thursday and at a Christmas reception in the Board meeting room Friday afternoon.

Media contact: Alex Paul, Linn County Communications Officer, 541-967-3825 or email apaul@co.linn.or.us.