Progress on fiber optics network for Decorah is continuing

Winneshiek County, Decorah Community School District, the City of Decorah and Winneshiek Medical Center continue to make progress towards a new fiber optic cable network that would connect all four entities, as well as Luther College.

Winneshiek County IT Director Jon Lubke says the group is getting "pretty close" to starting the network.  right now it is working to iron out the details of a 28E agreement between all the parties involved--an agreement that will spell out the terms of how the fiber optic network will operate.

The new network would be funded 70 percent from federal stimulus funds, with the remaining 30 percent--around $230,000--being split between the groups involved.  Lubke says the network will be "quite an asset" when it is up and running.