REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL FROM: BRYON HORN, Chief Information Officer Information Services Department PAUL ZHOU, Project Liaison/Program Administrator Information Services Department SUBJECT ..Title RESOLUTION - Authorizing Submission of Application to the California Public Utilities Commission for Federal Funding Account last mile broadband deployment in total amount of approximately $11,800,000 and authorize the City Manager or designee, to apply for grant funds and execute all related documents. ..Body RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends the City Council adopt a resolution authorizing the submission of a grant application for approximately $11,800,000 to California Public Utilities Commission for Federal Funding Account last mile broadband deployment and authorize the execution of all application related documents by the City Manager, or designee. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY California Senate Bill 156 created the Federal Funding Account and allocated one billion dollars for urban counties and one billion dollars for rural counties to fund last mile broadband deployment to unserved residents. The California Public Utilities Commission is administering the Federal Funding Account and allocated $61,159,781.95 for the entire County of Fresno based on the number of unserved residents within the county. The City is pursuing a grant application of approximately $11,800,000 for last mile broadband deployment to the unserved residents within the City. Targeted areas by the City are those that have been identified by the California Public Commission as being high density unserved areas as shown in the attached map. BACKGROUND Fresno is a city of 542,107 residents and has a geographic size of 116 square miles. The City recognizes high speed/high quality internet access is a necessity for its residents, businesses, healthcare providers, schools, and non-profit sector. The City has been focused on making broadband more affordable, reliable, and available to all areas to enhance broadband access, economic development, quality of life, and government innovation. Unfortunately, Last Mile connectivity is still lacking in Fresno. There are currently many unserved areas which lack qualifying broadband. These unserved areas often have high poverty and low income. The California Public Utilities Commission Federal Funding Account provides funding to address the unserved areas of the City. This resolution authorizes the City to apply for grant funding. Staff will return to council to accept any funding awarded. ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS Pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378, this item is not a project for the purposes of CEQA. LOCAL PREFERENCE Local preference was not implemented because this item is state grant funding. FISCAL IMPACT This is a reimbursable grant. City will expend funds and then submit for reimbursements. Appropriations have been identified in the Information Services Department Budget. Attachments: Resolution Federal Funding Account Program Rules and Guidelines CPUC Decision adopting Federal Funding Account Rules CPUC City of Fresno Unserved High-Density Areas