Supervisors authorize county-owned radio tower at Berlin site after cost comparison

The Southampton County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to authorize construction of a county-owned public-safety radio tower at the Berlin refuse site and approved a change order totaling $426,565.35 to complete the work.

CTA consultant Cheryl briefed the board on the system design and site-selection challenges. She told supervisors that a private-site lease offer for the Sedley tower was $5,500 per month with a 3% annual escalation, which the project team judged not viable; over 15 years that lease would cost roughly $1.2 million. CTA presented the Berlin collection site as a feasible county-owned alternative and produced a competitive construction estimate of about $426,565.35.

Cheryl said the county’s radio system design will provide approximately 95% public-safety coverage, include microwave connectivity, and add redundancy so that the system remains operational if a site goes down. The proposed Berlin tower was estimated at 250 feet and will be registered with the FAA; the consultant noted that permitting, environmental analysis and geotechnical work are required before construction.

County staff said the change order and tower can be paid from the county’s unassigned fund balance rather than by issuing debt and that the county could generate revenue by leasing space on the new tower to additional carriers. The board discussed financing comparisons including tax-exempt bond options and potential lease revenue from commercial carriers.

A board member moved to approve construction and an appropriation resolution; a second was given and the motion passed on a unanimous voice vote. Staff will return with final construction drawings, permits and a timeline; the consultant estimated 6–8 months for permitting and construction and said coverage testing is planned for a full-foliage period next year.