A private vendor told the Keith County Board of Commissioners it has a tentative agreement to build a third radio tower near Paxton to fill gaps in county radio coverage and asked the board for direction to proceed with planning and lease terms.

At the meeting Kent Sager of Action Communications (Absolute Solutions) said his company had agreed with a local landowner to construct an 80‑foot communications tower on a ridge north of Paxton, adjacent to an existing Alltel/Verizon tower, and that the company would own and maintain the structure. Sager said Action Communications would seek easements for access roads and would handle tower construction, insurance and power hookups; the company proposed a rental arrangement to the county of about $850 per month to cover structure payback, power and maintenance.

Why it matters: commissioners and emergency services staff have said the county’s existing two planned sites do not provide reliable in‑town coverage for Paxton because of topography. The proposed third site is intended to improve building coverage in Paxton and extend reliable radio service to a town shadowed by surrounding ridges.

Details and next steps: Sager said the vendor already has tentative approval from adjacent landowners for access and is prepared to begin licensing and federal filings once the county gives a “nod.” He said a microwave shot to one of the existing two towers would be needed to feed the site and that the site requires 110V power and an environmentally controlled equipment shelter (roughly three 19‑inch racks). Action Communications offered to draft a rental/lease template showing duration and escalation clauses for commissioners to review. Commissioners asked county planning and zoning staff to flag permit and special‑use requirements; staff indicated a special use permit was likely the appropriate path but that required documentation should be filed with planning and zoning.

No formal decision: the board did not vote to approve construction or a lease at this meeting; commissioners asked staff and the vendor to return with a draft rental agreement and permitting plan for review.