The Comal ISD Board of Trustees voted 6-0 on March 27 to authorize a contract with the Region 20 E‑rate collaborative to expand the district’s fiber-optic network, approving an amount not to exceed $3,025,714.

IT staff framed the project as a multi-phase build that creates three resilient “rings” in the district network and provides direct fiber access to new campus sites. Mr. Monroe, who presented the plan, said the district leveraged a multi-district collaborative (including smaller district partners) to raise the project’s E‑rate discount from roughly 60% to about 78% by averaging discount levels across partners. That discount, Monroe said, reduces the district’s projected out-of-pocket cost from a roughly $7 million total project to about $1.8 million in bond funds.

Monroe described the work as two primary subprojects: a 2024-approved segment (roughly $5 million in construction cost, with the district’s discounted share described by staff as about $1.2 million) and a 2025 segment (roughly $1.7 million total cost, with the district’s portion described as about $0.5 million). IT staff said the 2024 collaborative filing has already been approved and that the 2025 funding decision is expected from the Universal Service administrative review process around June or July. Presenters noted one likely adjustment: the FCC’s E‑rate rules sometimes exclude facilities serving students older than 18, and staff expected the Life Bridges portion (about $151,000) could be excluded from funding.

Board discussion focused on technical resilience (rings and redundant paths), use of underground conduit on Hoffman Lane, and the project’s funding sources. Trustees asked whether the proposed rings would provide automatic reroute capability if a cable cut occurred (staff: yes, the new links create alternate paths and reduce single points of failure), whether segments are underground (staff: the Hoffman Lane segment is underground and requires long boring/trenching) and whether the work is charged to bond funds (staff: primary funding comes from the 2023 bond technology/construction allocations, with E‑rate expected to offset most costs).

Motion and vote: Trustee Tim Hennessy moved to approve the contract with EFC Region 20 for the fiber expansion in an amount not to exceed $3,025,714; the motion passed 6-0 (no roll-call names were recorded in open session). The board’s consent approved the authorization so construction and contracting can proceed, subject to final E‑rate awards and typical procurement review.

Staff said the district expects the work to improve resiliency for campus connections (reducing long routes that currently route through distant paths) and to allow connection of new campus sites without the district carrying the full cost. Monroe described the plan as a lease/dark-fiber arrangement that will permit telecommunications partners to use the new conduit while keeping the district’s traffic separate.

Trustees asked staff to return with implementation timelines and to coordinate with construction schedules for new campuses.