$47m grant could open region to jobs

Mike Sloan, director of economic development for Boundary County, has learned the region is one step closer to getting a $43 million grant that could draw businesses to the area.

A federal agency informed Sloan last week that it needs more information before awarding the grant, which would be used for improved telecommunications, including broad band, high-speed Internet in Boundary and Bonner counties.

That could mean jobs.

“We made the first cut,” Sloan said. “This is a huge, huge endeavor in my opinion. If we do not have this kind of service, we will no longer be able to attract businesses.”

“It would offer us an opportunity to solicit new businesses that require that kind of connectivity,” he continued. “It would allow us to go out to the world.”

The counties applied for the grant together. Issues that Sloan said he believes will help get the grant included Boundary County’s high employment and poverty rates and presence of the Kootenai Indian tribe.

“This grant would be for both counties. It would be a three-year process to build it out and this would create jobs for heavy equipment operators and laborers for building towers.

The grant would cover 80 percent of the infrastructure’s $54 million cost. The balance would come from private investors, which Sloan doesn’t believe will be hard to get.

“It’s a low risk for an investor,” he said.