Summary
The Elko Television District said it has no debt but is pursuing a new 100‑foot tower at Grindstone Mountain and is exploring options to power a Snowbowl site after utility estimates topped $350,000.
The Elko Television District reported to the Debt Management Commission that it operates on a pay‑as‑you‑go model and currently carries no debt, but faces large near‑term capital needs to maintain county communications infrastructure. Treasurer Kent LeBartz said the district is building a new 100‑foot tower on Grindstone Mountain to relieve overloaded sites and that project engineering and installation are already underway. “Our towers currently are overloaded in some cases. We've done studies on the engineering of the towers, and the engineers are going, you're a 120% overloaded. So we have to either take people off the tower or put in a new tower and move them over,” LeBartz said. LeBartz said the Grindstone project alone is likely to cost about $1 million and the district is paying as it goes; the district charges rent to private carriers and public agencies that use tower space and receives ad valorem revenue to fund operations. The district also flagged a separate Snowbowl site where the utility company has quoted more than $350,000 to extend power. “That has put a big dent in anything we plan to do from here on out,” LeBartz said, adding the Snowbowl site would fill a coverage hole for eastern parts of the county and could be used by emergency responders and event organizers. LeBartz said the district is exploring solar and generator options but noted high battery and solar costs and ongoing refueling costs for generators. He said the district would welcome partnerships with city, county and emergency services to share costs but that none had been finalized. Commissioners unanimously accepted the district’s indebtedness report; LeBartz said the district prefers to avoid borrowing and will continue phased, pay‑as‑you‑go construction.
