JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The Jamestown City Council Finance and Legal Committee has forwarded a proposal to the entire city council to enter into a franchise agreement with Midcontinent Communications.

The proposal would give Midcontinent the go-ahead to construct and maintain a fiber optic system in the city.  The committee heard from representatives from Midcontinent who said that cable and telephone services exist for Jamestown, the proposed project would bring another option for internet service to the community.

Justin Forde is Senior Director of Midcontinent Communications.  If the proposal is approved by the city council, Midcontinent could begin planning work in August to outline where to lay fiber.

If plans are followed, construction work would begin in the spring and summer of 2022.  Contruction may include laying fiber cables underneath streets and alleys, among other areas. Forde anticipates that the first neighborhoods in Jamestown could be connected by late 2022.

City staff will work to draft an agreement with Midcontinent and will submit the proposal to the Jamestown City Council at a future meeting for final approval.

In other action, the city gave approval to Jamestown Tourism to apply for a grant from BNSF to for the Frontier Village Train Parkette.  Jamestown Tourism was denied an initial application, then was later told that the Tourism department could not apply because of its tax status.  If approved by the city council, Jamestown Tourism will apply for the grant on behalf of the city.