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Estill County authorizes negotiations with T‑Mobile for equipment on EOC tower
Summary
The Estill County Fiscal Court authorized staff to negotiate a lease with T‑Mobile to colocate equipment on the county EOC tower, including a 10‑by‑20 concrete equipment pad and separate power service; the county said T‑Mobile paid for and passed a structural analysis and the court will review lease and analysis before any final contract.
The Estill County Fiscal Court voted to authorize county staff to negotiate a lease with T‑Mobile to colocate equipment on the county Emergency Operations Center (EOC) tower.
County staff told the court that T‑Mobile has reengaged in discussions about placing equipment on the Hackettop/EOC tower and is proposing a 10‑by‑20 concrete equipment pad to house equipment cabinets and allow for a future generator. An unnamed county staffer explained the site plan and told the court, "So it's actually not a building... it's a 10 by 20. It's concrete slab... it'll just be some cabinets," adding that the cabinets would have their own electric meter and future generator capacity.
Staff said T‑Mobile paid for a structural analysis of the tower and that the analysis "did pass the structural analysis," and that a copy will be submitted to the county clerk for review. Court members said they would expect the county to review that peripheral (third‑party) analysis and to review lease terms before approving any final contract.
Supporters said colocating wireless equipment can expand coverage for residents and first responders, create lease revenue to offset grant requirements and reduce operational strain during outages because colocated carriers could have independent backup power. One county representative noted that separate generator capacity for the carrier could reduce the county's operational stress during widespread power outages.
A motion to authorize Ronnie and Lucas to negotiate with T‑Mobile for placement of equipment on the EOC tower passed on a roll‑call vote with the members present answering "Yes." The county indicated any construction or installation would occur only after a lease agreement is signed and the county completes its contract review.
County staff also discussed other possible tower candidates for future colocations and urged the court to authorize negotiation rather than immediate contract approval so staff can come back with lease terms and the structural report for the court's consideration.
