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ADMINISTRATION - Chief Administrator Gabriel Hydrick and RCRC General Counsel Arthur Wylene
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Requested Action(s)
recommendation
a) PUBLIC HEARING - Conduct a public hearing to consider Golden State Connect Authority’s use of revenue bonds to finance the construction of a high-speed fiber-optic network in certain unincorporated areas of the County
b) RESOLUTION - Request adoption of a resolution finding that the issuance of revenue bonds by Golden State Connect Authority will have a significant public benefit, and approving issuance of the revenue bonds
c) AGREEMENT - Request approval and authorization for the Chair to sign the Memorandum of Understanding between Golden State Connect Authority and County of Tehama Regarding the Construction, Improvement, Operation, and Maintenance of Broadband Internet Access Service
d) RESOLUTION - Request adoption of a resolution authorizing execution of two easement deeds for fiber huts and related infrastructure on county property to Golden State Connect Authority
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Financial Impact:
This action has no impact on the County’s General Fund. The County’s approval of these bonds bears no cost or other financial obligation but serves as public acknowledgement by the host jurisdiction of the project financing
Background Information:
The overview of this item came before the Board of Supervisors on August 26, 2025, the above requested action items are to finalize the agreement. Tehama County is a member of Golden State Connect Authority, a joint powers authority and public agency comprised of 40 rural California counties. Golden State Connect Authority is an affiliate entity of Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC), of which the County is also a member. Golden State Connect Authority was established at the strategic direction of the RCRC Board of Directors for the purpose of increasing access to reliable, affordable high-speed internet for residents and businesses of its member counties, including in this County. Both RCRC and Golden State Connect Authority are governed by an elected Supervisor from each member county, including this County, and day-to-day operations are managed by RCRC.
In consultation with County staff, Golden State Connect Authority applied for and was awarded grant funds for deployment of an open-access fiber-optic broadband network in certain areas of the County under the Federal Funding Account (FFA) Program created by Senate Bill 156 of 2021. The FFA Program, administered by the California Public Utilities Commission, is a grant program for last-mile infrastructure projects to connect unserved Californians. The terms of this funding specify that the awardee must offer service to every home and business in the awarded project areas, which will be accomplished through dedicated fiber-optic connections to each address. Fiber-optic cables will be laid throughout the project areas, and when customers sign up for service connections will be made to individual addresses. All costs for deployment of the network infrastructure and on-going operations and maintenance will be borne by Golden State Connect Authority.
The FFA grant awards cover approximately 70% of the deployment costs for the portion of Golden State Connect Authority’s network located in the County. The remaining 30% will be funded with tax-exempt revenue bonds issued by Golden State Connect Authority to finance construction of the network. These bonds will be repaid from broadband system revenues and are further secured by a separate award of funds received by Golden State Connect Authority from the California Public Utilities Commission under the Loan Loss Reserve Program, which provides credit enhancement for the bonds.
As the system is constructed, Golden State Connect Authority will enter into agreements with internet service providers pursuant to which such internet service providers will provide internet service to customers within the service area or any portion thereof, using the Golden State Connect Authority network infrastructure. Via the open-access model, customers will have the option to choose from several internet service providers on the Golden State Connect Authority network for internet access at differing speeds and price points.
Golden State Connect Authority targeted project areas of need, i.e., areas that included unserved and/or underserved locations, as defined under the FFA Last Mile Program.