Decorah Fast Fiber representative: "We're going to make our goal" of paying half the cost of a feasibility study`

Decorah Fast Fiber representative Jim Fritz spoke to the Decorah City Council on Monday night and officially made a promise that his group would pay half the cost of a feasibility study which will determine whether a fiber optic Internet service would make money.

The Decorah City Council has set aside up to $60,000 to pay for the study, although estimates are that the study would cost slightly less.

Fritz told city council members his group has already raised $14,000 from a fundraiser at Rubaiyat.  A second fundraiser set for April 15th at Hotel Winneshiek has already gotten $8,000 in pledges.

Fritz told city council members he's confident Decorah Fast Fiber will be able to split the payment of the feasibility study cost because the group is pursuing several other grants and sources of additional funding.