The Sabetha City Commission met at 6 p.m. Monday, March 13, at Sabetha City Hall. Present for the meeting were Commissioners Norm Schmitt, Maridel Wittmer and Julie Burenheide, City Administrator Doug Allen, Assistant City Administrator Bill Shroyer, and City Clerk Steve Compo. Guests present were Angie Crider and Julie Bergman representing Rainbow Communications and Jason Enneking. Absent from the meeting were Mayor Cody Bletscher and Commissioner Nick Aberle.

Commissioner Wittmer presided over the meeting due to the absence of Mayor Bletscher. The meeting was called to order and the Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

Rainbow Communications

Crider and Bergman of Rainbow Communications were recognized by the commission chair and given the floor. Crider gave a presentation to the commission announcing the expansion of fiber broadband network that will be made available to the residents of Sabetha. 

In 2014, Rainbow Communications installed FTTP — fiber to the premises— to all business locations throughout the city of Sabetha. In the very near future, FTTH — fiber to the home — will be available to all residential locations in Sabetha. This project will be funded totally by Rainbow Communications at a cost of $4.4 million, and will bring gigabit internet speeds to residents and multiple gigabit capabilities to businesses in Sabetha.

Construction is currently slated to begin in 2024 and will be completed by the end of 2025. Future announcements about the project to keep the public informed will be forthcoming.

Also at the meeting:

The commissioners approved the minutes from the Feb. 27 meeting.

The commissioners approved signing the approval for the Rebant Acres Plat.

The commissioners approved the Lift Station Land Agreement that deals with the maintenance of the lift station, which will be installed by the covered bridge in the housing area south of the Sabetha Community Hospital.

The commissioners approved the application of Logan Metzger for the Sabetha Fire Department.

Allen said he spoke with the Nemaha County Commissioners concerning the chip and seal request for Kansas Road from Acorn Road west to where it intersects with 14th Street running south from the south end of Sabetha. The City of Sabetha has requested the two roads be maintained by the county instead of Rock Creek Township and that the two intersecting roads be chipped and sealed. Allen said the commissioners have tabled the issue awaiting further information on such a project.

The next meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, March 27, at Sabetha City Hall.