KUB aka Knoxville Utilities Board wants to embark on broadband service. You know the KUB that provides Electric (not to all of Knox County) and Water/Sewer (not to all of Knox County) and Natural Gas (which I suspect is all of Knox County).
Has KUB mastered Electric, Water/Sewer and Gas that it is now imperative to expand into a fourth service?
Here is a recent story, where the Comptroller found they paid two employees for work not performed. KUB has asked TVA and the TN Comptroller to examine their business plan and give them a “Mother May I” pass. Both apparently have said the plan is suitable.
The last time I really looked at KUB was in January/February 2015. In that, I discovered and reported here that over the course of about 9 years or so, they paid local advertising, lobbyist, PR firm Moxley/Carmichael more than $1 million dollars. I am still not sure for what because if you are in KUB’s service area and need electric, water or gas, who else ya gonna call?
The cost for KUB to embark on a broadband division is likely $50 million or more. The KUB Board at the May board meeting (just two days ago) approved the next steps forward. Watch it here. The entire board meeting lasted around 50 minutes, then the board ate lunch, which if you attended in person, you could observe them eating.
The next step is a Public Forum this Thursday. I am signed up, I have a couple questions, I will ask them there and then.
A reasonable man could conclude it does appear that this expansion of broadband services is a steam locomotive with a greased rail… but that is only a first observation.
