Iola City Council members will hear a request Monday from KwiKom Communications to help the company expand its fiber-optic service in Iola.
KwiKom already provides such service to portions of Iola, primarily north of U.S. 54.
It would cost roughly $640,000 to cover much of the rest of Iola, the company noted.
It is hoping the city would pay up to half — $320,000 — to extend the private company’s reach to an additional 1,700 residences and 100 businesses
The funds would be repaid through a franchise fee payment of $37,500 annually, plus another $7,000 to $10,000 for pole rental to hang fiber-optic cable on city poles.
KwiKom also would connect city offices at no charge with an “L2” data link, and add public-access Wi-Fi hot spots to Cofachique Park and the John Silas Bass North Community Building. (KwiKom already provides free Wi-Fi service at Riverside Park.)
Also on the agenda Monday is a 2021 year-in-review report from Jonathan Goering, economic development director at Thrive Allen County.
Iola splits the cost of hiring Thrive for its economic development services, along with Allen County, Iola Industries and Humboldt.
