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County staff report Pal Park broadband tower fire damage, $95,000 repair estimate and plan to convene subscribers
Summary
County broadband staff said a solar‑powered remote tower serving roughly two dozen subscribers was damaged by fire; initial vendor quotes put repair at about $95,000 with weeks of equipment lead time. Commissioners favored a public work session to weigh repair versus alternative connectivity options.
Rio Blanco County broadband staff reported Sept. 10 that a county fixed‑wireless tower at the Pal Park/County Road 127 site suffered equipment and solar‑power damage after nearby fires, leaving roughly 24 subscriber connections offline.
County staff described the tower as about 40 feet tall with two coverage sectors and an off‑grid solar power system serving radios and battery banks. According to the county’s damage estimates presented at the meeting, the solar‑power repairs were quoted at $29,761.23 and the radio/backhaul replacement at $65,502.73—about $95,000 before contingencies. Staff said equipment lead times are four to eight weeks and deployment could require an additional eight to nine weeks after equipment arrival.
“Everything else inside for both the solar power and the radio equipment has been burned and melted,” the county broadband presenter said after a site inspection. He said parts of the steel tower and platform remain intact; most damage was to electronics, cabinets and the photovoltaic equipment. The county has engaged its usual radio and solar vendors for quotes and is continuing insurance and potential FEMA coordination.
Commissioners and county staff discussed whether to fully repair the tower or explore alternatives including low‑earth‑orbit satellite options, and to seek input from subscribers and the county’s retail provider (Cimarron). A commissioner suggested a public forum or work session so affected residents can explain their connectivity needs and whether they have already migrated to other services. Commissioners noted the county has limited funds and that fixed‑wireless towers are increasingly costly to sustain in difficult terrain; staff said fiber remains the highest‑capacity, long‑term solution where it is feasible.
No formal vote was taken. Commissioners directed staff to schedule outreach to the 24 affected subscribers, invite Cimarron and other local providers to discuss alternatives and cost shares, and return to the board with options and a recommended path.
County staff emphasized that subscribers and wholesale customers were notified and that some may already have alternative service options, such as low‑earth‑orbit satellite providers, which were not widely available when the county built its fixed‑wireless network.
The broadband issue is likely to be part of larger county discussions about the long‑term strategy for broadband deployment and whether to invest in repairs for isolated fixed‑wireless sites or prioritize fiber expansion where practical.
