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Decatur County moves to fast-track Greensburg tower repairs and 9-1-1 backup upgrades; seeks $50,000 appropriation
Summary
County staff asked the Decatur County Council to expedite repairs to the Greensburg tower lighting and to enhance the tower as a local 9-1-1 backup, proposing a $50,000 transfer into tower maintenance to supplement $20,000 the 9-1-1 board pledged.
County staff told the Decatur County Council that the signal light on the Greensburg tower (the old jail site) has been dark for several months and that the site is currently out of compliance with FCC lighting requirements. The presenter outlined four vendor quotes for climbing, replacement of the light assembly and optional upgrades to make the tower a more capable backup for county radio communications.
The presenter described the base climb/labor costs as substantial ("it's like $6,000 just to climb the tower") and noted the 9-1-1 board has already agreed to contribute up to $20,000 for the life-safety repair. He said complete enhancements to add cabling and a 700-megahertz repeater would raise the upgrade cost; his tally for doing everything desired was about $68,000.
Why it matters: County staff argued that installing cabling and preparing the site for a 700 MHz repeater would provide a local backup in the event state sites fail. The presenter reminded members that in April the county lost contact with state towers for an extended period and that having a local backup would improve resilience for public-safety radio communications.
Details and funding: The presenter reported vendor quotes of roughly $10,572 and $12,952 for antenna and cable work (two separate quotes) and a Motorola estimate for a repeater plus licensing "just under $28,000." He said the county-wide 9-1-1 ledger contains cash from prior years that is appropriated but not yet allocated; the presenter asked the council to move $50,000 into a tower-maintenance appropriation so work and equipment procurement could proceed without delay.
Council response and next steps: Council members discussed timing and a potential special session to approve the appropriation. Staff said vendors currently quote 3'4 week lead times for equipment and that delaying final approval until a regular meeting could push completion into the fall. Several council members expressed support for a "gentlemen's agreement" to allow the vendor to order equipment while a special session or formal appropriation is scheduled; one member said, "You can go ahead and get that going." Staff planned to publish the notice for the appropriation and to coordinate any special session if needed.
No formal appropriation vote was recorded in the transcript: the meeting included discussion and direction to proceed with the procurement process and to arrange a special session if necessary. Staff indicated they would return with formal appropriation paperwork and timeline details.
Ending: Council members signalled support to expedite the tower repairs and backup work, and staff will pursue vendor ordering and formal appropriation steps as required.
