FAIRBURY, NE — Local leaders in Jefferson County are looking at their options when it comes to expanding broadband internet access.

During a regular meeting, commissioners met with representatives from NextLink Internet via Zoom.

The Texas-based company already provides service in southeast Nebraska, but doesn't have a large footprint in Jefferson County. The company recently struck a deal with Gage County to bring its services to its residents. 

NextLink Goverment Affairs Coordinator Ebony Cooksey says they can do the same in Jefferson County.

"Our goal is to submit something that would just basically visually show you that we can cover at least 90-95 percent of the county with the solutions and the technology that we employ."

Jefferson County is also currently working on a public-private partnership with Diller-based Diode Communications to provide fiber internet to the eastern part of the county. The county is awaiting the results of a grant application to get that project going. 

Commissioner Chairman Mark Schoenrock says they're open to working with other providers to get other parts of the county covered.

"What our board is interested in obviously is how we can get the most broadband to all our citizens in the county," Schoenrock said. "We're open to all proposals to accomplish that objective."

NextLink says there are parts of Jefferson County they're already legally obligated to provide service to, a bit in the southern portion of the county and another area just northeast of Alexandria. They have plans in place to begin to set up their services 

Commissioners said county staff will review the information provided during the meeting while they think over how to move forward.