Sheriff says county will likely need its own radio tower to fix dead spots; state phone tower may not suffice

County staff introduced a proposed lease agreement for a new communications tower the state is building, but members and the sheriff agreed more information was needed and that a state-provided telephone installation would not resolve county radio coverage gaps.

"It's my understanding this new thing is only for telephones, not for radio," one participant said while the sheriff emphasized that handheld and car radios suffer from dead zones outside vehicles. "The car radios, mostly the handheld radios is really what's bad," the sheriff said, describing weak north-south coverage on Highway 231 and repeaters that do not extend handheld range.

County staff noted the proposal came to the committee in packet form because the project's primary contact, Mr. Beller, could not attend; Miss Coggins was identified as legal counsel for the project. Officials discussed potential tower sites such as Gravelly Hill and Morrison and whether emergency services could attach to a state-operated tower.

The sheriff said the shared, state tower likely would not solve the county's radio problems and that the county "we've got to put our own tower up." Staff said phone carriers or other entities could pay to use county infrastructure, but the committee concluded that a separate radio-capable tower remains necessary to eliminate dead spots.

Members asked staff to provide additional details as the lease proposal develops and noted the timeline and technical analysis remains incomplete. No formal action was taken on a purchase or construction plan at the meeting.