Re: T-Mobile/LUMOS contract -MORE DELAY???

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Jamezetta Bedford

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Sep 2, 2025, 9:08:13 PM (5 days ago) Sep 2

to Tony Blake, ALL_BOCC_MANAGER_CLERK, Robert Reynolds

Tony,

This is on our agenda for Thursday so you can read the contract, changes and the revised proposal. They have been paid $4 million for meeting contractual milestones. $6 million remains of federal funds. They revert to the federal government if not spent timely, by I think it is 12/31/26, though time needs to be allowed for closing of the records and books. The proposal would have 92% of the original contracted "passes" completed to pay the $6 million. The federal funds can only be spent on same category/similar types of services, so we cannot pivot to spend on say affordable housing, or health dept needs, or such.

Jamezetta

From: tony...@nc.rr.com <tony...@nc.rr.com>
Sent: Tuesday, September 2, 2025 2:56 PM
To: ALL_BOCC_MANAGER_CLERK <OCB...@orangecountync.gov>
Cc: Robert Reynolds <rorey...@orangecountync.gov>
Subject: T-Mobile/LUMOS contract -MORE DELAY???

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Hello Commissioners.

I read today the LUMO/T-Mobile is asking to eliminate people they previously agreed to serve from the county Broadband initiative and delay the contract.

Lumos/T-Mobile is already a YEAR LATE on the agreed upon dates. I hope they haven’t received a dime from the ARPA funds yet. This affects property values after a very high revaluation.

I really hope you say NO to this nonsense and hold them to the contract they signed..

Sincerely,

Tony Blake

Orage County Resident.

Jamezetta Bedford

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Sep 3, 2025, 12:31:31 AM (4 days ago) Sep 3

to Tony Blake, ALL_BOCC_MANAGER_CLERK, Robert Reynolds

Tony,

On behalf of the Board, thank you for sharing your comments.

Sincerely,

Jamezetta

From: tony...@nc.rr.com <tony...@nc.rr.com>
Sent: Tuesday, September 2, 2025 10:51 PM
To: Jamezetta Bedford <jbed...@orangecountync.gov>; ALL_BOCC_MANAGER_CLERK <OCB...@orangecountync.gov>
Cc: Robert Reynolds <rorey...@orangecountync.gov>
Subject: RE: T-Mobile/LUMOS contract -MORE DELAY???

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Jamezetta,

Thank you for the response.

It is a bad precedent to knuckle under to this.

I would like to hear the opinion on legal recourse. LUMOS and T-Mobile are already in breach of their contractual obligations involving federal funds. Who is looking out for the taxpayer on this? T-Mobile is a far bigger company with greater resources than LUMOS, exactly why are they asking for a pass on this? I have tried with both Mr. Reynolds and] T-Mobile to get reasons for the current 1-year delay and I get no coherent answers. I cannot pry a plan/schedule from them, and at this point I have zero confidence in anything they say. Sadly, the T-Mobile relationship needs to be micromanaged with weekly progress reports, milestones and meeting minutes made public.

As far as the funds reverting to the federal government in late 2026,if it gets down to the wire, I would like to see Orange County pursue this in court and see what our new and proactive Attorney General can do to help retain the funds until the matter is settled given his recent success with FEMA funds.

T-Mobile is vulnerable to public opinion and only understands money. This nonsense should cost them dearly, and as a taxpayer I object to approving letting them off the hook.