District 8 and District 3 Board of Director Elections
As a cooperative, Paul Bunyan Communications is governed by a seven-person member-elected Board of Directors. In 2026, there are two Board of Director positions up for election representing Districts 8 and District 3. To see what areas each District represents, check our Cooperative District Map here
Article III, Section 3 of your Cooperative’s Bylaws requires any member interested in serving as a Director to submit a completed candidate packet to the Cooperative headquarters at least 25 business days prior to the Caucus Election date. This enables the Cooperative to properly verify the eligibility of all candidates to serve as a member of the Board if elected. Members interested can find the candidate application packet and related information online at https://paulbunyan.net/cooperative/documents/
The deadline for completed Director-candidate packets to be returned to the Cooperative is 3 p.m. Tuesday, February 10.
If there are less than two pre-qualified candidates seeking election to the Board of Directors from the same district (an uncontested district election), no in-person Caucus Meeting and Caucus Election for that district will be held.
If there are two or more pre-qualified candidates seeking election from the same district, the in-person Caucus Meeting will be held and all members residing within the district will be notified by mail of the date, time, and location. The purpose of the in-person Caucus is to select two pre-qualified candidates to seek election/re-election to be the district’s representative on the Paul Bunyan Communications Board of Directors. Directors serve a five-year term through 2031.
The current director for District 8 is Board Vice-President Jim Sutton and he will not be seeking re-election.
The current director for District 3 is Tracy Mistic-Shaar and she has expressed her intent to seek re-election.
Based on the results of any contested Caucus Election, the names of two candidates are listed on the ballot to be voted on by the general membership of the Cooperative. Votes are tallied and announced at the Annual Meeting, scheduled for May 20, 2026. The candidate with the greatest number of votes from the general membership is elected/re-elected as the Director for such district.
16-17 Year Old High School Students: Enter the Paul Bunyan Communications Youth Tour Essay Contest for a Chance to Win a Trip to Washington D.C. Deadline is February 27
Area High School Students age 16 or 17 are encouraged to enter the Paul Bunyan Communications Essay Contest for a chance to attend the 2026 Youth Tour in Washington, D.C. June 1-5, with all expenses paid by Paul Bunyan Communications.
To enter students need to submit a short essay, no more than 500 words in length, on why they would like to attend the Youth Tour and a letter of recommendation from a teacher, coach, or employer. Students must be 16 or 17 years of age and in high school with their parent/guardian a member of Paul Bunyan Communications Cooperative.
Entries can be submitted online at paulbunyan.net/youthtour
The deadline for entries is Friday, February 27.
The trip features a comprehensive overview of the telecommunications industry, including careers in telecom, the critical role telecommunications plays in rural America, and how legislative and regulatory decisions affect the industry. The tour allows youth to meet with members of Congress who represent rural constituents. They also participate in educational sessions about the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Students visit some of the nation’s most historic sites, including the Smithsonian Museums and a beautiful night tour of Washington D.C.
“By equipping our youth with world-class connectivity with Internet speeds up to 10 Gig and connecting them with cultural and educational experiences like the FRS Youth Tour, we aim to inspire students to build their futures here at home and become engaged members of our rural communities,” said Brian Bissonette, Marketing Supervisor at Paul Bunyan Communications.
Paul Bunyan Communications has participated in sending a local high school student to the Youth Tour since 1996.
Recent Youth Tour winners include Joseph Loehlein of Turtle River (2025), Julia Frenzel of Blackduck (2024), Michael Van Horn of Blackduck (2023), and Amelia Scherling of Bemidji (2022)
The Foundation for Rural Service is dedicated to informing and to improving the quality of life throughout rural America. Each year, it organizes the Youth Tour, designed to educate rural youth about the telecommunications industry and the federal political process. The FRS is a subsidiary of the NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association of which Paul Bunyan Communications is a member.
2026 Scholarship Opportunities from Paul Bunyan Communications
Paul Bunyan Communications is committed to the communities we serve and provides dozens of scholarships annually to local students within our service territory. We also offer local students the chance to apply for statewide industry scholarships and national industry scholarships. If you are a current high school senior or a student at one of the local post-secondary institutions, you can apply to win a Paul Bunyan Communications Scholarship!
High School Scholarships
Each year, our cooperative provides at least 2, $500 scholarships to 16 area high schools within or near our service territory. The application process, winners, and distribution of funds are handled by each high school independent of Paul Bunyan Communications.
Paul Bunyan Communications Scholarships are available at the following high schools: Bemidji, Bigfork, Blackduck, Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig, Cass Lake, Deer River, Grand Rapids, Greenway, International Falls, Kelliher, Laporte, Mountain Iron-Buhl, Nashwauk-Keewatin, North Woods, Northome, Park Rapids, Red Lake, and Walker-Hackensack-Akeley.
To apply for the Paul Bunyan Communications Scholarship at one of these high schools, please speak to the school counselor or career service office.
Post-Secondary Scholarships
In addition to High School Scholarships, Paul Bunyan Communications provides scholarship opportunities to the following post secondary institutions: Bemidji State University, Northwest Technical College, Minnesota North College-Itasca, Red Lake Nation College, Leech Lake Tribal College, and Oak Hills Christian College.
There are several scholarships annually available to students attending Bemidji State University that are current members of Paul Bunyan Communications or a parent/legal guardian is a member. Applications are electronic and open to accepted students of Bemidji State University. The application will automatically match students with qualifying scholarships so there is no need to apply for individual awards. The application can be found online at https://bemidjistate.academicworks.com/.
Contact the Bemidji State Alumni & Foundation with any questions.
One $500 scholarship is awarded annually to a NTC student that is a current member or who has a parent/legal guardian that is a member of Paul Bunyan Communications. Applications are available in the NTC Admissions office or online at www.NTCmn.edu under scholarships.
One $500 scholarship is awarded annually at Minnesota North College-Itasca, Red Lake Nation College, Leech Lake Tribal College and Oak Hills Christian College to a student that is a current member or who has a parent/legal guardian that is a member of Paul Bunyan Communications.
To apply for the Paul Bunyan Communications Scholarship at one of these post-secondary institutions, speak to the Admissions or Career Service office at the school you attend.
Minnesota Telecom Alliance Foundation Scholarship
Paul Bunyan Communications participates in the MTA’s scholarship program which awards five $2,000 scholarships to Minnesota high school seniors each year.
The application can be downloaded at https://www.mnta.org/page/Scholarship and must be turned in to Paul Bunyan Communications no later than February 13, 2026.
Past winners of MTA scholarships through Paul Bunyan Communications include:
2025- Gunther Erbstoesser of Hines and Juel Luettinger of Bemidji
2022- Dylan Haynes of Grand Rapids
2014- Kathryn Gray of Bemidji
2012- Elisa Muller of Bemidji
2009- Kadie Kern of Bemidji
A telecom alliance panel reviews each application and selects the finalists based on applicants’ grades, academic achievements and extra-curricular activities. Preference to receive the scholarships is given to students who have an interest in telecommunications technology and rural communities.
The Foundation is part of the Minnesota Telecom Alliance, a trade organization representing 86 telephone companies and cooperatives in the state.
Foundation for Rural Service Scholarship
Paul Bunyan Communications participates in the Foundation for Rural Service (FRS) scholarship program which awards 30 $2,500 scholarships to high school seniors throughout the country each year.
Applications can be done online through the FRS web site at https://www.frs.org/programs/youth-programs/scholarships
Application must be submitted online no later than February 13, 2026. Applications submitted after that date will NOT be accepted.
Please note the applicant or their parent/legal guardian must be a member of Paul Bunyan Communications (PBC) Cooperative.
Past winners of FRS scholarships through Paul Bunyan Communications include:
2024- Emily Timm of Cohasset
2017- Ashley Benes of Grand Rapids
2014- Nicholas Engen of Grand Rapids
2013- Megan Wiens of Grand Rapids
2007- Brynn Stember of Bemidji
Established in 1994, FRS, in cooperation with the National Telecommunications Cooperative Association (NTCA), seeks to sustain and enhance the quality of life throughout Rural America by advancing an understanding of rural telecommunications issues. In keeping with its mission, furthering the education of rural youth is one of the foundation’s primary focuses. Our cooperative, Paul Bunyan Communications, is a member of NTCA and is proud to support FRS in this worthy endeavor.
PBTV Yule Log Channel returns for the Holidays on Channel 99
Paul Bunyan Television 24-hour Yule Log channel has returned for the holiday season and is available to all PBTV subscribers on channel 99.
“Every year we would get calls wondering where the Yule Log programming may be. Various networks have provided it in the past and some still do but how long and when varied. It was hard for us to provide that answer. So our staff created a Yule Log channel for our television customers to have 24/7 throughout the holiday season,” said Brian Bissonette, Paul Bunyan Communications Marketing Supervisor.
The PBTV Yule Log channel will air through at least January 3.
Holiday Office Closures; Closed Jan. 1; Closing at 2 p.m. Dec. 31
Wednesday, December 31
Offices will close early at 2 p.m. for New Year’s Eve.
Thursday, January 1
Offices will be closed in observation of New Year’s holiday. Our regular office hours will resume on Friday, January 2.
Emergency 24 hour repair will remain available.
Happy Holidays from all of us at Paul Bunyan Communications!
FOX ONE Streaming App Now Available to PBTV Main Subscribers Through PBTV Everywhere
FOX ONE, FOX’s brand-new streaming app, is now available to PBTV Main Package subscribers at no additional cost as part of your PBTV subscription!
What is FOX ONE?
FOX ONE brings together live and on-demand content from FOX News Channel, FOX Business, Local FOX Station, FS1, FS2, Big Ten Network, and more—all in one easy-to-use app.
Why You’ll Love It:
- No additional cost – it’s included with your PBTV subscription
- Everything FOX in one place
- Stream live sports, news, and entertainment anytime, anywhere
How to Get Started:
- Download the FOX ONE app > click “select TV provider” > choose: Paul Bunyan Communications > enter your PBTV Everywhere username and password.
- Or, visit FOX.com > click “TV Provider” in the upper right-hand corner > select Paul Bunyan Communications > enter your PBTV Everywhere username and password.
- Dive in and enjoy everything FOX has to offer—live and on demand!
FOX ONE is only available to PBTV Main Package Subscribers. It is not available to PBTV Economy or PBTV Lite Subscribers.
Universal Service Fund Essential to Keeping Rural America Connected
Keeping Americans Connected with Broadband Built to Last
The idea that all Americans should have reliable access to communications services at a reasonable cost has been a national objective for over a century. Today, the federal Universal Service Fund (USF) helps rural Americans connect to high-quality, affordable broadband and supports critical connections for low-income families, schools, libraries and healthcare facilities in rural communities.
Watch this video to learn about how the USF helps rural Americans get and stay connected.
Community-based providers like Paul Bunyan Communications have led the charge on the mission of universal connectivity in rural America, leveraging a mix of community commitment, private capital, long-term loans and high-cost USF support to deploy networks and deliver services in the most rural parts of the country, keeping rural Americans’ broadband rates more affordable, promoting ongoing broadband network investment, and making the business case to take on network construction loans.
Policymakers in Washington, D.C., are currently debating how to reform universal service programs going forward, so that they can continue to serve the needs of millions of Americans. It is essential that our elected officials in Washington understand the positive impacts that the critical USF programs have had and continue to have on the availability, affordability and sustainability of voice and broadband services for millions of consumers, businesses and anchor institutions in rural America.
Planning for Winter Construction? Sign up for services now before the construction season ends
Though winter might seem far off, now is the perfect time to plan ahead if you have construction projects in our service area and want to connect to our all-fiber optic network. Sign up for services now to ensure you’re on the construction list before the season ends.
Delaying may push your connection to next season. Act now to secure your spot—don’t wait!
Lifeline Assistantance Program Awareness Week is Sept. 7-13
Paul Bunyan Communications and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) are promoting Lifeline Awareness Week, September 7-13.
Access to local emergency services and community resources is vital to all residents. Lifeline helps low-income consumers connect to the nation’s voice and broadband networks, find jobs, access health care services, connect with family and call for help in an emergency. For some, being connected can be the difference between social connection and complete isolation.
Paul Bunyan Communications wants residents to get and stay connected and promotes Lifeline throughout the year to raise awareness about the program that provides assistance to those who need voice and/or broadband services but can’t afford it. “Digital Connectivity and Lifeline Awareness Week,” September 8-14 is another opportunity to highlight this very important assistance program.
Federal Lifeline Program
This program offers a $9.25 monthly discount on one of the following services per household:
- Landline telephone service
- Wireless telephone service
- Broadband internet service
Tribal Benefit Program
Households on Tribal lands may qualify for additional support:
- Tribal Lands Lifeline: Up to $34.25/month off landline, wireless, or broadband service
- Tribal Lands Link Up: A one-time credit of up to $100 for installation or activation fees
Please note that these tribal discounts apply to only one service per household.
To get started, individuals must first confirm their eligibility by visiting the National Verifier at https://nationalverifier.servicenowservices.com/lifeline
I’ve attached detailed instructions on how to apply. Additional information is also available at https://www.lifelinesupport.org
Offices Closed Monday, September 1 for Labor Day Holiday
Our offices will be closed on Monday, September 1 
for the Labor Day Holiday.
As always, 24 hour emergency repair will be available.