20070427Minidoka County Comment.pdf

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i)1 MINIDOKA COUNTY
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
o. Box 368 - 715 G Street
Rupert, Idaho 83350-0368
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April 25 , 2007
Paul Kjellander, President
Idaho Public Utilities Commission
O. Box 83720
Boise, Idaho 83720-0074
RE:Letter of support for Edge Wireless Grant request
Dear Mr. Kjellander and Commission Members
I direct this letter to you in support of an application by Edge Wireless for grant
funding under the Universal Service Fund. I do this in the capacity of my job as the
Director of Community Development for Minidoka County and with support of the
Minidoka County Board of County Commissioners. In my position as Director I am the
Building Official and Planning and Zoning Administrator and in addition I directly
supervise land line and wireless telephone communications for Minidoka County.
We understand that Edge Wireless has made an application for a grant through the
Universal Service Fund for to assist in the construction of a cell tower in Minidoka
County, approximately 5 to 6 miles of northeast or Rupert in the Acequia area.
We do express our support for this application for the following reasons:
Weare a rural fanning community by nature with sporadic wireless service in our
county.
The Acequia area is an area that has poor coverage with most wireless companies.
There is a new school being built in Acequia and presently most wireless service
is poor and sometimes non existent especially inside buildings.
This can become a safety issue when law enforcement and emergency personal
does not have adequate wireless capabilities.
This is also a problem for staff and visitors to the school.
The coverage eliminates family from choosing a wireless carrier for their only
phone service because of poor coverage within buildings.
The grant would help Edge Wireless install a well needed cell tower site without
the immediate concern of profit.
I am not aware of any unresolved zoning issues or zoning violations associated
with this particular property.
From our understanding of the Universal Service Fund was created to address and
similar situation, therefore we support the application by Edge Wireless. Your
consideration on this issue would be very much appreciated. If you have any questions
please feel free to call or contact this office.
Paul Aston, C.B.O.
Director
Cc:Dan Stapleman, Chairman Minidoka County Board of County Commissioners
Kevin Halverson, Minidoka County Sheriff