Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Radio topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Prince Edward supervisors approve lease for 250-foot Stockton Lake tower to complete county radio system
Summary
The board approved a sole-source lease for a 250-foot Stockton Lake tower position to secure top placement for a countywide Motorola P25 radio system, accepting a $125,000 one‑time capital payment and $850/month lease with a 2% escalator after discussing renewal protections.
Prince Edward County supervisors voted to approve a lease for a proposed 250-foot tower at Stockton Lake that will allow the county to secure the top antenna position for its countywide Motorola P25 trunked UHF radio system.
Emergency Manager Trey Papp told the board the radio system requires antenna heights above 200 feet to meet a consultant-vetted coverage goal of about 95 percent countywide. The county negotiated a one-time capital payment of $125,000 and a recurring lease payment of $850 per month with a 2 percent escalator over the initial 10‑year term and automatic renewal options. Staff and an outside consultant presented a 30‑year cost comparison showing a leased solution would cost the county substantially less over time than building and maintaining a county-owned tower.
Board discussion focused on protections in the lease against early termination and on ensuring automatic renewals unless the county elects not to extend. Supervisors sought and secured amended renewal language before taking the motion. Following a second, the board recorded a roll-call vote and approved the lease and associated procurement as a sole-source transaction.
Papp said the system equipment is currently staged in Richmond and that final tower site agreements and tower construction remain necessary steps. He estimated the radio system could be completed and operational in late 2026 under current schedules and tower finalizations. The project partners include the town of Farmville, Longwood University and Hampden–Sydney College, and Motorola has vetted coverage requirements along with the county consultant.
The lease will allow the county to occupy the top radio position; staff said the site was the only approved location capable of delivering the necessary geographic coverage. The board asked staff and legal counsel to finalize lease language to strengthen renewal guarantees and limit the lessor’s short-notice termination rights before execution.
The board’s approval authorizes county staff to proceed with the lease negotiations and execution consistent with the amendments agreed by the board. The board did not commit additional county capital beyond the one-time payment at the meeting; members said they will return for any required funding approvals tied to construction milestones or payments.
