New DEED commissioner on Greater Minnesota’s economy and implementing ‘massive’ new spending

Matt Varilek is fortunate as the new Commissioner of Minnesota’s Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) to have internet that is fast enough for him to have remote meetings at home in rural Benton County (MN). But not everyone in Greater Minnesota has that ability, which is why delivering broadband across the state is a passion of his. The Minnesota DEED will oversee the distribution of more than $750 million in state and federal funds to subsidize broadband infrastructure. To Commissioner Varilek, one of the biggest economic challenges is rural broadband access, as the more sparse population in Greater Minnesota makes the economics harder to make work than in a place with more people. Further, Commissioner Varilek said that it’s not inappropriate to craft policy that reflects different realities in different places, and between broadband, child care, and workforce development, there are differences in the way that the challenges manifest and what the solutions ought to look like. In terms of Minnesota's priority to subsidize fiber infrastructure compared to other options, Commissioner Varilek says that he always wants to have his ears open to findings and reflections from experts on alternative broadband options. Specifically stating that if the Minnesota DEED acquires findings deviating from the fiber direction that would make more sense, then it will listen to that. But that’s not the direction that his office is hearing from the experts that they've talked to.