The Meriwether County Board of Commissioners approved the purchase of radio equipment and authorized a tower lease agreement contingent on legal review on Dec. 23.

Staff (Speaker 7) introduced a revised quote from Dean Commercial 2-way totaling $240,226.60 for equipment and building work to be installed at the PSC tower. FEMA previously provided reimbursement of $138,411.12 earmarked for the radio-tower replacement; staff proposed applying that reimbursement to the purchase and funding the remaining $101,815.48 from the county general fund using interest earned in the LGIP.

"Dean Commercial 2-way submitted a revised quote 10 48 totaling $240,226.60," Speaker 7 told the board, and noted that the county had received FEMA reimbursement that would be applied to the project. The board moved and seconded a motion to approve the purchase with the remaining balance to come from the general fund after FEMA funds are applied.

Separately, staff requested approval of a tower attachment lease agreement between Public Service Towers, Inc. (PSC) and Meriwether County to allow installation of equipment on the PSC tower. The structural-engineering report was pending and staff asked that the agreement be approved subject to legal review and authorization for the chair and vice chair to sign after PSC’s acceptance of requested revisions; the board approved that contingency.

Next steps: staff will finalize contract language with PSC and legal counsel, apply the FEMA reimbursement to the purchase, and return any necessary amendments to the board if contract changes affect price or scope.