Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Communications topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Lavaca County approves temporary tower lease, advances 700/800 MHz radio upgrade
Summary
Commissioners approved a five-year site lease with Tillman Infrastructure LLC for a tower north of Moulton to help launch a countywide 700/800 MHz radio system; a phased cutover and radio programming are planned this fall.
Lavaca County Commissioners Court on Aug. 26 authorized a site lease with Tillman Infrastructure LLC for a tower site north of Moulton to support a countywide 700/800 MHz public-safety radio system.
Chief Michael Fair (public-safety/EMS director) told the court the Tillman site will be used as a short-term solution while the county seeks a long-term site it could own. Terms discussed on the record included a five-year initial lease, proposed rent of about $2,000 per month with a 2% annual increase, and county responsibility for utility costs on the site. The court approved the lease subject to minor contract-name corrections and return of a final document for signature.
Why it matters: County staff said the lease will raise radio-elevation for better coverage in low-lying areas and enable improved interoperability with neighboring counties. The telecom committee plans a phased cutover beginning in October: radio programming for mobile and handheld units in September, then bringing towers live one at a time to avoid service interruption.
Background and funding: The County Judge and staff cited potential grant funding options from the Texas General Land Office (GLO) to support a permanent county-owned tower in the future; a county representative said Colorado County's current construction cost example is about $1.2 million. The court also noted Baytex (an oil-and-gas landowner) donated a site that will be used long-term, and the Tillman lease fills a coverage gap.
What was said: "$2,000 a month is what rent is," Michael Fair said while outlining the short-term lease economics. The telecom committee emphasized training for end users, MOUs with neighboring counties, and a plan to tag and track expensive radio equipment in secured storage until deployment.
Next steps: County staff will request the contractual edits from Tillman Infrastructure LLC, finalize the lease and begin radio programming and training as scheduled; the court instructed the telecom committee and County Judge to pursue grant options for a permanent tower site.
