LAGRANGE – LaGrange County REMC would like to install fiber optic broadband around LaGrange County.

To help out with the project, REMC officials asked during a joint meeting Monday of the LaGrange County Commission and the County Council, for a $5 million grant from the Major Moves Fund. The money would be leveraged by REMC to invest $20 million to install fiber optic broadband.

Mark Leu of LaGrange County REMC says the cooperative has been looking at this project for the last two years, following a study that was done by Purdue University. Leu says they came up with an ariel network that would use their existing poles to string the fiber. Approximately 5500 REMC members would be served initially.

Leu says REMC's poles run in areas where they don't provide electric service. Because internet service is not regulated, Leu says REMC could provide internet service to another 500 to 600 non customers if they are interested.

Leu says they also asked their customers last Fall if this was something they would be interested in. The results showed 20 percent had no access to internet. Those that did have internet, based on a 10 point scale, the average was below 6 for how satisfied they were with the service. 94 percent of the REMC members said high speed internet was important or necessary for their quality of life. 95 percent supported REMC providing high speed internet.

The Council and Commission will meet again Friday at 9 AM to make a decision on the grant.