Middlesex County commissioners discussed a proposed resolution to submit a letter of intent to the state to position the county for federal funding and public-private partnerships to expand broadband access.

A county official explained the resolution would give the county "a seat at the table" to negotiate with providers such as Verizon, AT&T and Altice as fiber networks are deployed, and to ensure public benefits such as expanded access to libraries and schools. The official said the county is seeking to use available federal funding for broadband expansion in areas that lack adequate service.

"This gives the county a seat at the table to, in an ideal world, develop public private partnerships with folks like Verizon, AT and T, Altice, the various providers that are deploying these fiber optic networks," the county official said. The official said the county would follow a public process if it elected to proceed after the letter of intent is filed.

The presentation references a 2018 change in state law that the county said allowed public-private partnerships. The transcript shows the county discussed the letter of intent and the goal of pursuing federal broadband funding; the excerpt does not include a recorded vote tally or a contract value.