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Council hears update on 800 MHz system, Whitetail tower and federal grant modification
Summary
Police and communications staff updated the council on efforts to modify a $1.4 million federal grant to include construction of a new tower at Whitetail; environmental studies are underway and staff said federal approval is required before drawing grant construction funds.
Police and town communications staff briefed the Town Council on the ongoing project to move Merrimack to an 800 MHz radio system and the effort to secure funding for a new tower at the Whitetail site.
The town previously received a $1.4 million congressional direct-spending award to help upgrade the radio system. Deputy and communications staff said the initial grant application did not include construction of the Whitetail tower because the town was evaluating several sites; after coverage analysis staff identified Whitetail as a higher-coverage option and sought to apply grant funds to construction there. Chief and communications staff said the federal grant does not automatically cover construction at the Whitetail site and that grant modification and federal environmental review are required.
The council heard that an environmental study is nearly complete and that the town hopes, if the federal agency approves the modification, to apply part of the grant funding (identified in the budget as $488,000) to tower construction. Staff said the work on environmental review and grant modification is intended to enable the federal money to be used for the tower; if the modification is not allowed, the town would not use those $488,000 federal dollars for construction and would retain them for other eligible uses.
Communications and police staff summarized prior spending and equipment purchases tied to the project: initial investments for radios and equipment were made while waiting for grant actions; the chief said much of the system equipment has already been procured. Staff emphasized the project is for emergency communications, not a commercial cell installation, and said congressional and congressional-aide contacts (Senator and Congressman offices) have been engaged to help with federal regulatory review.
Staff also discussed interoperability and coverage: the Whitetail tower would increase townwide coverage and the 800 MHz system is planned to work alongside existing VHF infrastructure as a primary system once the site and system are fully certified and operational. Staff said the system would not fully eliminate communications issues—factors such as foliage may still require future adjustments or additional sites.
No formal council action was taken Jan. 8; staff said they are continuing environmental work and grant modification steps and will return when federal approvals are confirmed and construction planning is ready.
