By Emily Ford
eford@salisburypost.com
SALISBURY — Salisbury’s service area for Fibrant could change again today when a committee of state lawmakers votes on a bill restricting city-owned broadband systems.
N.C. Sen. Andrew Brock, a Republican who represents Rowan and Davie counties, said he wants the legislation to prohibit Salisbury from selling Fibrant outside the city limits.
City officials, however, want to offer Fibrant throughout most of Rowan County.
Brock serves on the Senate Finance Committee, which will consider House Bill 129, or “Level Playing Field,” at 1 p.m. today. He said Salisbury’s original jurisdiction for Fibrant was the city limits.
Doug Paris, assistant city manager, disagreed. Salisbury never intended to limit the size of Fibrant’s service area, he said.
A proposed substitute bill published Tuesday afternoon would allow Salisbury to sell Fibrant to four towns in Rowan County — Spencer, East Spencer, Rockwell and Granite Quarry. The towns were included by N.C. Rep. Harry Warren, R-Rowan, in his amendment when the bill passed the N.C. House in March.
Last week, city officials asked Brock to propose widening Salisbury’s service area to include all municipalities in Rowan County except Kannapolis, as well as corridors between the towns.
The city’s draft also included economic development sites, such as Summit Corporate Park, as well as public safety facilities, government buildings and schools and colleges located outside the municipalities.
“All it does is give folks the option to sign up in the future,” Paris said.
The proposal was drafted in concert with the city’s Washington D.C. communications attorney.
After Warren’s amendment limited Salisbury to selling Fibrant in four towns, mayors from every Rowan County town and Concord sent letters to Brock asking him to protect their ability to buy high-speed Internet and other telecommunications services from Salisbury.
But Brock said he decided last weekend he could not support the city’s suggestion.
“It’s gone from a spiderweb to blanket,” he said.
The Senate Finance Committee is expected to debate, consider amendments and vote on House Bill 129 by 3 p.m. today.
A competing bill favored by Salisbury and other cities with broadband networks up and running — Senate Bill 511 —will not proceed, Brock said.
“Everybody has decided to work on 129,” he said.
House Bill 129 still exempts Salisbury from new restrictions officials said could harm Fibrant and the city’s ability to pay back its debt, Paris said.
“That’s an excellent result,” he said.
Contact reporter Emily Ford at 704-797-4264.