University Decides Municipal Fee Increase for Fiber Project
The fiber-to-the-premises project will improve DREMC’s electrical infrastructure to University leaseholders and expand Ben Lomand’s fiber services to leaseholders on the University of the South’s Domain. The improvements will be available to all leaseholders.
The University has determined that, by applying its usual process for apportioning municipal-type fees, the cost per leasehold will range from $1 to $25 per year, with the majority of leaseholders paying between $2 and $10 per year. The assessment will be made for 10 years. This amount is the charge for the fiber infrastructure only; it has changed since the initial conversations and proposals.
The increase will take effect in September 2020 and will be communicated in August to each leaseholder.
Leaseholders currently pay different municipal fees based on the assessed value of improvements (building or home) as determined by the Franklin County tax assessor.
The University and Community Council found the fiber project to be an important basic service, similar to others for which leaseholders already share the cost (police, fire, and ambulance services, for example).
For more information on the Fiber for Sewanee project, the University has provided a Fiber Project Frequently Asked Questions document, available on the Lease Office website: https://new.sewanee.edu/offices/university-offices...