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Daniels County commissioners press vendors to clarify radio-tower siting and siren plan
Summary
County leaders heard vendor briefings on a new public‑safety radio tower, microwave/fiber routing and siren options, and asked for a written action list and priorities before spending more on tower work.
Daniels County commissioners pressed contractors and staff on Tuesday for clearer next steps after a vendor briefing that raised doubts about the planned radio tower location and outlined interim siren options.
Commission Chair (speaker 1) opened discussion after the vendor presentation, and Jared (presenter, speaker 13) told the commission the footings poured for the proposed tower “would not work” for the microwave "last mile" links and that the chosen site likely could not support the required microwave paths. The vendor said fiber could be the primary routing option and recommended further talks with the state about relocation or alternate routing.
Why it matters: the tower and related radio and console work are central to the county’s public‑safety communications upgrade. If the tower cannot support microwave links, the county may need to redesign site placement, which could add time and cost and affect agency access to the new system.
Engineers and vendor staff sketched several options: move the tower location, rely on fiber as the primary backhaul route, or keep the existing tower and install a simpler wooden pole to mount a civil‑defense siren while longer planning continues. The contractor also warned that placing more concrete or changing footing depth before confirming Federal Aviation Administration clearance could be premature.
Commissioners asked for a written action list and a single email thread of priorities so vendors and county staff can coordinate work windows. A vendor representative (speaker 11) said Motorola and contractor crews will be on site this week to install and test consoles and to program mobiles and handheld radios, but several participants stressed the need to sequence priorities so the sheriff’s mobile radios are installed first.
Commissioners also discussed the possibility of selling or repurposing the existing tower if a new location proves usable for the county or state. No final decision was made; the board instructed staff and vendors to produce a prioritized schedule and cost estimate and to return with an update.
Next steps: vendors will send a timeline and an email with action items; an engineer will be on site the following morning to check connections and routing. The commission left open possible follow‑up votes on site changes or contracts after that review.
