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Butler County Weighs Fiber Optics Proposal

Posted on: Wednesday, 13 October 2004, 06:00 CDT

Butler County Commissioners are considering a proposal presented Monday by a Carthage-based company seeking to manage and market the county's fiber optics network.

CBS Technologies said its proposal would attract business, create significant technological possibilities and generate $6 million to $10 million annually in revenue for the county, according to Jim Smith, the company's chief marketing officer.

The proposal also would move Butler County to the national forefront in technology among county governments, he said.

Commissioners said they will form a committee to devise a management/marketing plan along the lines of the CBS Technologies' proposal. The project would eventually be put out for bids, they said.

CBS Technologies' plan is to get private businesses to invest in Butler County's fiber optics network. The company would add "next generation equipment" such as wireless technology and voice, video and data transport to the county's existing network infrastructure.

The equipment could create high tech possibilities for police and fire services, as well as schools, transportation and utilities. It would also attract business and drive down the cost of cable and telephone service for consumers, Smith said.

The county currently spends about $38,000 in monthly expenses involving the network, Smith said. CBS Technologies could save the county a total of $50,000 a month. That would bring the total revenue to about $10,000 to $15,000 a month for the county.

The county also might be able to transfer its $185,000 annual expense for fiber maintenance to CBS Technologies, resulting in even more revenue, said Commissioner Greg Jolivette.

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