COLUMBUS – The Village of Sherburne has been on the cutting edge of municipal fiber optic systems offering the first open access ethernet system New York State. Mayor William Acee estimated that providing fiber optic connection to Sherburne residents has saved community members approximately $100 per month. Now the village is working on a project to expand their fiber optic network to the Town of Columbus.

Acee explained that the Village of Sherburne’s fiber optic project began about 15 years ago. Initially the project put all village systems on the fiber optic loop. Around 2020, the village received grant funding through ConnectALL to bring the fiber optic network to residential customers in the Village of Sherburne as part of a pilot project. Now, the Village of Sherburne and Town of Columbus are working together on the next phase of that project which will allow residents in Columbus to connect to Sherburne’s fiber optic network.

Currently, over 800 customers are connected to Sherburne’s fiber optic network, according to Village Electric Superintendent Travis DuBois. Another 165 have signed up as part of the new expansion.

Acee and Columbus Supervisor Diane Scalzo are excited to see the project moving forward. “Columbus Supervisor Diane Scalzo has really worked hard on this project,” Acee said.