Fiber optic network coming to Marysville

Robert Summa, Appeal-Democrat, Marysville, Calif.
·3 min read

Apr. 7—As part of its continued push for economic growth and development in the city, the Marysville City Council on Tuesday approved the deployment of a citywide fiber optic network.

With all council members giving the OK to the needed infrastructure improvement, the resolution will allow City Manager Jim Schaad to enter into a right-of-way access and use agreement for deployment of the high-speed internet network with SiFi Networks Marysville, LLC.

The full citywide installation will come at no cost to the city and its taxpayers as SiFi will be paying for the entire effort.

"Staff recommends implementing the Agreement with SiFi as a privately funded and managed citywide fiber network aligns with Council's goals for Infrastructure and economic Development and is a significant opportunity for strengthening the City's ability to retain and attract businesses, jobs, and private investment," the city said in a staff report. "There is no cost to the City for the implementation of this system in that it is privately funded. SiFi Networks Yuba City LLC will pay the City up to $60,000 per year to assist with the review and processing of SiFi's permit applications."

In September 2021, the Yuba City City Council approved a similar project.

"We are excited to offer a fiber-optic network solution to our community via SiFi Networks. This is an important step for the future growth and prosperity for our residents and businesses," Yuba City Councilmember Marc Boomgaarden said in a statement at the time. "Through this partnership, we ensure that Yuba City is leading on the technological forefront and providing the necessary infrastructure for our citizens and economy to thrive well into the future."

As with Yuba City and other communities SiFi works with, the company will "own and maintain the backbone infrastructure" and will lease the fiber lines that will run through every street in Marysville to internet service providers who will be able to offer the service to customers.

"Residents and businesses will have options in that they can maintain their existing ISP or seek subscriptions with providers who have leased fiber from SiFi," the city said in a staff report.

Schaad said during Tuesday night's city council meeting that without both Yuba City and Marysville taking part in the installations, Marysville would not have been able to enter into this agreement with SiFi.

"The company, SiFi, expects that this project will be completed in conjunction with their efforts in Yuba City," Schaad said. "That is actually how we found out about this. Yuba City has already approved SiFi to install a similar network in their community. We are able to piggyback on Yuba City's contract. Without that contract, Yuba City is not large enough to make an attractive enough site to do so. So that is a plus for us."

Schaad said SiFi expects the project to be completed 24 months after approval. Installation of the fiber optic network will have minimal impact on the city, he said.

Because SiFi is essentially picking up the bill for the installation of the network, the city was able to avoid using federal funds for a similar project.

"Through the COVID crisis and the federal funding efforts, there had been a lot of discussion, particularly with American Rescue Plan (ARPA) dollars, on using those dollars to provide broadband access to disadvantaged communities," Schaad said. "I think Yuba City is thinking in the same manner. Why spend our ARPA dollars on broadband when we can have private investment put that in for us and utilize our ARPA dollars for things such as street repairs and other infrastructure."

Marysville Mayor Chris Branscum stressed the importance of having the high-speed network available in the city.

"If we didn't do it, we would be at a distinct disadvantage. This is a key feature for any community and I'm so glad you're going to be doing business in Marysville," Branscum said.