Slic wins $5.3 million grant to expand Internet service in Franklin, St. Lawrence counties
MAUREEN PICHÉ
NICHOLVILLE — Slic Network Solutions has received a $5.3 million Connect NY grant to enable it to bring broadband service to underserved areas near Black Lake in St. Lawrence County and southern Bellmont in Franklin County, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced Wednesday.
The funding is in addition to a $6.1 million grant Slic received in March of last year to connect northern Bellmont and other areas — a project that is still in the final approval stages, according to Slic sales engineer Jeffrey M. Yette. Of that grant amount, just over $1 million was slated for the Bellmont North Next Generation Broadband project.
This time, Mr. Yette said, $1.1 million will be allocated to Bellmont South Next Generation. Money also will be used for the Black Lake Next Generation project in the towns of Oswegatchie and DePeyster, as well as projects in Newcomb and Minerva in Essex County. In all, Slic will build about 184 miles of fiber, passing 2,429 homes, Mr. Yette said. The project is expected to be completed in 2016 or 2017.
“We’re continuing to expand our fiber footprint into underserved areas. That’s kind of what our focus has been of late,” he said.
http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20140731/NEWS05/140739799
