Dorey Diab compares an internet connection to basic utilities like electricity.
“We cannot live without it,” he said Tuesday at a meeting of the Richland County Commissioners.
Diab, president and CEO of North Central Technical College, and Ohio state Rep. Marilyn John (R-Shelby) were on hand for a press conference announcing funding for an open access “middle mile” broadband internet network running from Lima to Canton along U.S. 30.
As part of the recently passed state budget, the funding will be divided into two parts. A total of $20 million will be allocated the next two years.
“It’s not very often that we get $20 million coming into the community to enhance economic development,” Diab said.
John added, “You brought a really great project that I was able to work on, and my job was just to make connections.”
She said she and local officials talked to House Speaker Matt Huffman when he was president of the Senate.
The need for the project was evident.
“Everybody was so surprised when we showed them the map of broadband and how empty North Central Ohio was of broadband connections,” John said. “We talked about how this could be a model of how to expand broadband around the state of Ohio.
“This is going to impact so many communities across North Central Ohio.”
Broadband project will benefit 179th Airlift Wing
Mansfield will be one of those communities. A key to the project is the 179th Airlift Wing of the Ohio Air National Guard, which has converted to become a cybersecurity wing.
“The base transition is the most significant economic development project in this city for quite some time,” Mayor Jodie Perry said. “The internet is the backbone of what they do out there. We’re going to need more juice, so to speak, to support their network. That was a significant part of moving the needle on this.”
Mansfield will benefit in other ways.
“Not having enough fiber out to our industrial park as we expand has definitely been a concern,” Perry said. “This allow us continued expansion out there.”
The idea for broadband came up two years ago when Diab approached Commissioner Tony Vero.
“We had a lot of meetings with the commissioners, with the chamber, with the city to see what we could do to make that happen along Route 30, to install the fiberoptic infrastructure,” Diab said. “In our area of the state, we did not have what they call the ‘middle mile.’ The middle mile is the precondition of fiber optic installation in order to provide the last mile that goes to businesses and homeowners.”
Diab noted the process had its “ups and downs.”
“We got it through the House, only to find it was allocated to the wrong source of funds,” he said.
Vero explained the money was set aside for the federal Broadband Equity Access and Development program, but those funds can be earmarked only for “last mile” connections, the final leg of the telecommunications network that delivers internet service to individual homes and businesses.
Vero reflected on the path to eventual success.
“We first met on the project in 2023, roughly 32 meetings over two years, several trips to Columbus,” the commissioner said.
Project survived last-minute veto from Gov. DeWine
Vero added that he and Diab were up at 6 a.m. Tuesday “scouring the internet to show it wasn’t vetoed” by Gov. Mike DeWine, who could eliminate parts of the budget that was passed by the legislature.
The project survived.
“The Route 30 project is good,” said James Kennedy, policy analyst for the County Commissioners Association of Ohio. “The appropriation is available today.”
Asked when broadband will be available, John said it had not been determined. The Ohio Department of Development will handle the construction.
Officials did not know if the project would start in Mansfield and be built out to Canton and Lima or if it would begin in one of those cities.
“The governor just signed the budget nine hours ago,” John said. “There will be much, much conversation. Now the real work begins.”
Vero added, “We’re going to make sure Richland is at the forefront on the project. From a selfish standpoint, we want to start in Richland.”
All that will be decided later. Tuesday was about celebrating a victory for Mansfield and Richland County.
“These are the two people that ultimately pushed the project through,” Vero said of Diab and John. “If the people of Richland County want to give kudos for a very, very significant project, it certainly goes to the two individuals sitting in the chairs.”
John added, “These things didn’t happen by accident. It takes a lot of collaboration. That’s what Richland County is about and has been about for a long time now.
“When you brought me the idea, I thought it was genius. I’m really proud. I think of all 99 districts, I have the best district in Ohio.”
Vero summed up the feelings of all involved.
“It’s a great project. It’s a great day for Richland,” he said.
mcaudill@gannett.com
419-521-7219
X: @MarkCau32059251
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Big win for Richland County: Broadband internet coming to U.S. 30 corridor
Reporting by Mark Caudill, Mansfield News Journal / Mansfield News Journal
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