By Richard Crawford

Plans for building a new fiber-optic ring in Carver County moved forward this week when county commissioners agreed to enter into final negotiations with a private company.

The ring, which would be about 70 miles long, would connect county buildings and other government buildings such as schools and libraries throughout the county with the high-speed communications network.

The county plans to partner with Jaguar Communications to install the fiber network.

According to county estimates, the fiber-optic ring would cost about $3 million, with the county paying less than half of construction costs.

According to Steve Taylor, county director of administrative services, the county pays more than $175,000 per year to use T-1 lines provided by private companies. The T-1 lines are inefficient for the county’s communication needs, which prompted the county to put out bids for a private-public partnership.

Taylor told commissioners that private firms weren’t able to satisfy the needs of the county. To build a fiber-optic ring on its own, the county would pay double what a private-public partnership will cost, Taylor said.

Taylor said the fiber optic lines would satisfy county communication needs for the foreseeable future.

Jaguar Communications would build the ring on public right of way and have the ability to provide fiber-optic services to private businesses as well. Under terms of the preliminary proposal, the county would own fiber-optic lines in six years.

Taylor said he and members of a fiber-optic selection committee have received positive comments regarding the prospect of improving high-speed communications in the county.

Commissioners generally spoke in favor of the project because it would increase county communication abilities and efficiency and potentially be attractive to private businesses.

Taylor said several other counties, including Anoka, Dakota and Scott, have recently had new fiber-optic lines installed.

Fiber-optic lines are about 700 times faster than T1 lines, Taylor said.

Commissioner Tom Workman, who represents Chanhassen, was the only commissioner to vote against the plan.

He said he wanted more detailed information on costs presented and questioned whether a new line would be beneficial to average county residents.

The proposed fiber-optic ring would pass through the cities of Chanhassen, Chaska, Carver, Cologne, Norwood Young America, Mayer, Watertown, Waconia and Victoria.

Commissioners also asked staff to examine what it would cost to extend the line to the cities of Hamburg and New Germany.