Bigger, Better, Faster: Wasco County to Weigh $3 Million for improved internet speed, capacity
Projects like this 15-mile installation of fiber optic line from Dufur School to The Dalles several years ago could become more likely if broadband expansion gets additional funding in the near future. This line above capable of speeds of 1000 megabytes per second can deliver a 30 minute video in about 24 seconds. Maupin completed a $2 million fiber optic expansion in 2019, making it one of the fastest broadband communities in Oregon.
The Dalles, Ore., June 2, 2025 — The Wasco County Board of Commissioners will meet Wednesday, June 4, to consider a $3 million intergovernmental loan to support broadband expansion, review a slate of public safety communications agreements, and hold final budget hearings for the upcoming fiscal year.
The QualityLife Intergovernmental Agency or Q-Life is requesting a $3 million loan from the county to help secure matching funds for a federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program grant.
The move bodes well as the agency looks to improve the local economy, education and communication through improved and cost-effective connectivity to the internet.
Q-Life is a collaborative effort of public entities in The Dalles that began in 2002. It created a 17-mile fiber optic loop through the city. The goal is to enhance the region's economic development efforts with a reliable, cost-effective, open-access link to the Bonneville Power Administration's fiber, which runs through The Dalles.
Photo from October 2024 - New Q-Life Executive Director, Dr. Liz Lance, was welcomed into the organization to better spearhead funding and projects. She is pictured above with Q-Life Board Chair, Lee Weinstein, left, and former Q-Life Administrator, Matthew Klebes, right.
“This investment will work in concert with secured and pending state and federal grant funding to significantly accelerate access to high-speed fiber internet across our region,” Q-Life Executive Director, Dr. Liz Lance wrote in a letter of support of the funding to Commissioners. “As you know, reliable and affordable broadband is no longer a luxury—it is essential infrastructure that directly impacts education, healthcare, public safety, economic development, and overall quality of life.”
If awarded, the grant would help fund fiber infrastructure projects across Wasco County, improving internet access for homes, schools, and businesses in underserved areas. The loan would be repaid over five years at the Oregon Local Government Investment Pool rate, with no penalties for early repayment.
Even if the grant is not secured, the county is prepared to proceed with the $3 million loan to Q-Life to support the expansion of high-speed fiber internet.
City Manager Matthew Klebes was recently authorized by The Dalles City Council to enter into an inter-governmental agreement with Q-Life.
911 Dispatch funding
Also on the agenda is final approval of a new Intergovernmental Master Agreement between Wasco County, the City of The Dalles, and Mid-Columbia Fire & Rescue to manage 911 dispatch operations and share costs for the county’s new Computer Aided Dispatch and Records Management System (CAD/RMS). Under the agreement:
The City of The Dalles will pay $428,867 annually toward 911 operations, plus up to $73,192.11 in one-time infrastructure costs and $184,999 for CAD/RMS implementation.
Mid-Columbia Fire & Rescue will contribute $84,241 annually, plus up to $10,227.19 in one-time costs and $11,900 for CAD implementation.
The county will split RMS maintenance costs with the city beginning in fiscal year 2026.
Commissioners will also vote on budget adoption for the county, the Library Service District, and the 4-H and Extension Service District, and consider a first hearing on proposed building code fee changes.
The meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the Kramer Board Room at 401 E. 3rd St. and click here to watch virtually via Zoom.
