Decatur County is a Broadband Ready Community

Lt. Gov. Crouch, Indiana Broadband Office and Office of Community and Rural Affairs
designate Decatur County as a Broadband Ready Community
INDIANAPOLIS – Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, the Indiana Broadband Office (IBO)
and the Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) announced Decatur County as the state’s
77th Broadband Ready Community.
“Communities like Decatur County becoming broadband ready encourage and enhance
increased accessibility to connectivity,” said Crouch, Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural
Development. “Decatur County has taken a critical step in investing in and prioritizing qualityof-life through broadband expansion. Congratulations to the local leaders and residents
throughout Decatur County!”
The Broadband Ready Communities Program was created as a tool to encourage broadband
development throughout Indiana. The Broadband Ready Community certification sends a signal
to the telecommunication industry that a community has taken steps to reduce barriers to
broadband infrastructure investment.
“With this designation, we hope it shows providers that Decatur County will work with them to
help build our broadband infrastructure, something that’s incredibly important for everyone in
our community. Our hopes are also that this shows potential grant funders that we are
prepared to partner on broadband projects,” says the Decatur County Commissioner, Mark
Koors.
The certification was approved by IBO and OCRA following the county’s adoption of a
Broadband Ready Community ordinance.
“We’re happy to get the Broadband ordinance passed with the support of the County elected
officials. This is a key step on the path toward improving the existing networks and extending
them to cover our County. It makes us more competitive in the eyes of the providers, and we
look forward to working with them to build out the community,” says Head of the Decatur
County Broadband Task Force, Rick Nobbe.
Deputy Director at the Indiana Broadband Office, Earnie Holtrey, congratulates Decatur
County’s certification as the 77th Broadband Ready Community.
Earnie Holtrey, IBO Deputy Director | eaholtrey@sba.in.gov Denny Spinner, OCRA Executive Director| dspinner@ocra.in.gov
Office of Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch
1 North Capitol Ave., Suite 600
Indianapolis, IN 46204
“Congratulations to Decatur County for setting your community and our state up for success by
furthering critical broadband access,” said Holtrey. “We look forward to your continued
progress with your new designation.”
Via 2020 legislation, the Broadband Ready Community Program was transitioned from the
Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) to the Office of Community and Rural
Affairs (OCRA). IBO began the day-to-day management of the Broadband Ready Community
Program on July 1, 2020. For more information, visit in.gov/indianabroadband.
“OCRA is continuously expanding access to reliable, high-speed broadband service through
grants, line extensions and subsidies. Broadband ready communities are imperative to this
project as it forges ahead and increases the quality of life across the state,” says OCRA
Executive Director, Denny Spinner.
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Under the leadership of Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, the Indiana Broadband Office (IBO) mission is
to assist residents in need of affordable and reliable broadband connectivity. This mission of
reaching Hoosiers where they live, work and play is accomplished by communicating with
stakeholders, providing resources to a diverse audience, and leveraging established
relationships with elected officials, associations, and providers. For more information, visit
in.gov/broadband.