WCCTA Awarded Grants for Rural Fort Dodge

Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association of Gowrie has partnered with Central Cable Contractors of Waupun, WI and Vantage Point Solutions of Mitchell, SD to construct buried fiber cable to approximately 700 locations in the rural area around Fort Dodge.  Construction began last fall and has recently resumed to complete the project.

“It is exciting that Webster County is so close to being 100% fiber throughout the county,” noted Marcie Boerner, WCCTA COO. “Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association has utilized a fiber network for many years and is now expanding into rural Fort Dodge.  Lehigh Valley Cooperative Telephone Association has expanded into the southern rural area of Fort Dodge and construction is also underway within the City of Fort Dodge with a municipal provider, Fort Dodge Fiber.”

Webster-Calhoun’s overall cost of the project is approximately $8 million dollars and will provide telephone, internet and tv services. The ability to expand further into rural Fort Dodge in part comes from two Empower Rural Iowa Broadband Grants totaling over $3.9 million that targets specific census blocks or specific locations. Webster-Calhoun is also self-funding some locations that are not included in the grant areas. 

Webster County is rich in recreation with the beautiful landscape of the Des Moines River as well as vast gypsum quarries. It creates opportunities for scenic locations for housing; however, it also creates many expensive challenges when building out utilities in this terrain.

In September 2021 WCCTA was awarded $2,604,458.36 as part of NOFA # 006 which is 58.48% of the project cost for identified Census Blocks to fund approximately 260 locations.  In October 2023 WCCTA was awarded $1,329,294.09 which is 60% of the project cost for 98 locations identified as part of NOFA # 008.

“If you have an opportunity to receive a fiber drop you should do it.” adds Boerner.  “If you are not planning to use the service now or are planning to sell your home in the future you should still get the fiber connection to your home. It’s free during construction and a lot more cost effective for everyone.”

Webster-Calhoun currently provides 100% Fiber to the Home (FTTH) network to 20 communities including Moorland, Barnum, Clare, Badger, Vincent and Duncombe. The new construction will fill in the rural gap between Webster-Calhoun’s existing service area and the city limits of Fort Dodge.

There are several steps to constructing buried fiber and several locations are in different phases.  A majority of the area is finishing up testing and inspection.

This project was supported by federal funds made available through the American Rescue Plan Act and the State of Iowa, acting by and through the Department of Management (DOM).  Points of view expressed herein are those of the author or speaker and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the United States Government or State of Iowa or endorsement of the project.

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Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association is located at 1106 Beek Street in Gowrie, Iowa. It has a Gig certified Fiber to the Home network and provides landline telephone, internet, Wi-Fi, and digital television service to the Iowa communities of Gowrie, Pilot Mound, Vincent, Thor, Churdan, Knierim, Somers, Barnum, Duncombe, Farnhamville, Badger, Clare, Moorland, Boxholm, Lanyon, Paton, Lohrville, Manson, Rockwell City, and Lake City.

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Carlson Announces Retirement

Celebrating 45 Years of Leadership: Daryl Carlson Announces Retirement

As we look back on decades of growth, innovation, and community impact, we are honored to celebrate the retirement of our General Manager, Daryl Carlson, who has dedicated 45 years to Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association. His remarkable leadership has left an indelible mark on our industry, our organization and the communities we proudly serve.

Throughout his career the cooperative transformed from a Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) provider to a state-of-the-art, 100% fiber-to-home internet service provider.

This early adoption of Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) technology has not only enhanced the quality of life in our service areas but also positioned our cooperative as a leader in the industry. His vision has consistently driven us to embrace innovation and ensure that our members benefit from the best possible service.

Under his watch, our cooperative expanded into CLEC areas, further broadening our reach and impact. He spearheaded the construction of our new office building, providing the space needed to grow our innovative workforce and better serve our communities. Through strategic partnerships with other communications service providers throughout the region, he set us up for success, ensuring that the high-quality products and services we offer could be experienced by more people than ever before.

While it’s impossible to precisely quantify his impact on our organization, we know it is profound and far-reaching. As he prepares to step down at the end of the year, transitioning into an advisory role starting January 1, 2025, we take immense pride in the legacy he leaves behind. His contributions have not only secured the cooperative’s fiscal health but have also paved the way for the next generation of leadership to build upon his successes.

While we will miss his day-to-day presence, we are excited for him as he looks forward to a well-deserved retirement filled with hunting, fishing, and spending quality time with his grandchildren.

The impact Daryl has made on our cooperative, our team, and our communities is immeasurable, and his legacy will continue to inspire us for years to come.

We wish him all the best in this next chapter of his life and thank him for his extraordinary service and dedication.

Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association is located at 1106 Beek Street in Gowrie, Iowa. It has a Gig certified Fiber to the Home network and provides landline telephone, internet, Wi-Fi, and digital television service to the Iowa communities of Gowrie, Pilot Mound, Vincent, Thor, Churdan, Knierim, Somers, Barnum, Duncombe, Farnhamville, Badger, Clare, Moorland, Boxholm, Lanyon, Paton, Lohrville, Manson, Rockwell City, Lake City and rural Fort Dodge.

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Working Together with Others to Make a Better Experience

Marcie Boerner, COO, joined the Spin Markket team to talk about cooperatives, how they work, what makes them unique, and why fiber is the future.

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Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association is located at 1106 Beek Street in Gowrie, Iowa. It has a Gig certified Fiber to the Home network and provides landline telephone, internet, Wi-Fi, and digital television service to the Iowa communities of Gowrie, Pilot Mound, Vincent, Thor, Churdan, Knierim, Somers, Barnum, Duncombe, Farnhamville, Badger, Clare, Moorland, Boxholm, Lanyon, Paton, Lohrville, Manson, Rockwell City, and Lake City.

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Vosberg Enterprises Welcomes New Owners

On Friday, September 2, 2022, Vosberg Enterprises Inc. was purchased by Trevor and Brett Larson. The brothers have been with Vosberg Enterprises for several years where they have learned the ins and outs of both the farm drainage and machining sides of the company from the previous owners, and brothers, Jeff and Gary Vosberg. Jeff and Gary will continue working with the company to help transition the leadership roles smoothly.

“It’s important to us to express that, as a company, we are and will continue to operate the same as we have in years past. We have always thought Vosberg Enterprises has delivered quality service in the surrounding areas and we will do our best to live up to the high reputation the Vosberg family has built over the past 70 years.” explains Trevor Larson.

The Larsons and the Vosbergs gave credit to several entities that helped in this transition including their customers, the Small Business Development Center, and Brian Lane of Security Savings Bank. They also noted Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association, Calhoun County Electric Cooperative Association, and Calhoun County Economic Development Corporation as they were able to collaborate with local lenders by utilizing Revolving Loan Funds.

WCCTA established a Revolving Loan Fund in 2017 with funds from the USDA to help improve quality of life in rural areas by contributing to the long-term improvement of the economy including job creation and retention.

Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association provides Landline Telephone, Digital TV, Internet and Wifi service to 20 rural communities on a Fiber driven network just outside the Fort Dodge, Iowa area: Pilot Mound, Boxholm, Lanyon, Paton, Churdan, Farnhamville, Gowrie, Somers, Moorland, Knierim, Barnum, Clare, Thor, Badger, Vincent, Duncombe, and in the towns of Lohrville, Manson, Rockwell City and Lake City. www.wccta.net WCCTA is Gigabit Certified and designated a Smart Rural Community by NTCA: the Rural Broadband Association.