Baileys Harbor Residents Urged to Sign Up by May 15 for Fiber Installation

Contractors from Five Star Energy Services work to install conduit for fiber along County Road E in Baileys Harbor on April 5. Photo by Craig Sterrett.

Deadline near for granting property access to avoid major costs to run fiber to individual addresses

Baileys Harbor town officials are working to keep the townwide broadband project moving, but residents and property owners need to take action, too.

The town board on Monday, April 8, reminded residents that in order to have the first 300 feet of fiber for the internet run to their homes for free, they need to sign a “right of entry agreement.” To avoid costly installation fees, people need to allow workers to enter their properties. Residents are encouraged to sign up by May 15 to be prioritized. The “right of entry agreement” agreement will allow private-property access by the town’s Internet Service Provider (ISP), Bertram Communications/Door County Broadband (DCB). 

Bertram/DCB on April 15 provided an online link people can use to sign up. Visit https://signup.gobertram.com and set up a username and password.

The town board approved a service agreement March 27 with Bertram that set a price of $40 per foot for runs in excess of 300 feet, but the extra footage charges may be waived if customers provide their own compatible conduit approved by Bertram. 

The agreement also set subscription prices for three years – 250 megabytes (mbps) per second for $47.99 per month, 500 mbps for $69.99 and 1 gigabyte for $99.99. After those three years, there’s also a cap on rate hikes at no more than twice the Consumer Price Index.

Board members said people can sign a right-of-entry agreement without committing to a service contract. 

Work in the vicinity of The Ridges Sanctuary could not proceed last month while the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) checked on easements and how the burying of fiber could impact Hine’s emerald dragonfly habitat. 

“DNR staff are actively working with Five Star Energy Services to obtain and review necessary information to ensure the project meets state waterways, wetlands, endangered/cultural resources and construction site stormwater regulations,” said a DNR spokesperson. “Additionally, staff are prioritizing the review of information where limited authorizations may be necessary to resume work.”

Despite those delays, Town Board Chair David Eliot (who is publisher and co-owner of the Peninsula Pulse) said, “Crews are active in Baileys Harbor and we believe that Bertram is on track to complete the project by November.”

During the town board meeting Monday, resident Tim Tishler requested that Bertram provide regular progress updates and notices reminding people to sign the right-of-entry agreement.