Sagadahoc County signs Liberty Hill tower lease and schedules radio-system testing ahead of January 2026 go-live

Sagadahoc County commissioners reviewed and voted to sign a tower lease agreement with the city of Gardner for the Liberty Hill site as part of an upgrade to the county’s public-safety radio system.

Project staff and vendor representatives explained the next steps: the contract includes two to three weeks of field testing with portable and mobile radios to identify dead spots, and the county hopes to test the final system "before going live, January ’26," according to project staff (Speaker 9). Commissioners asked for proposed coverage maps after testing and requested a walk-through of the three tower sites prior to the next meeting.

Commissioners also asked whether equipment was already on site and whether pricing was locked. Project staff said no equipment is yet hung on the Liberty Hill structure but that the county has ordered and paid for steel and shelter components; price for the steel and equipment has been guaranteed and the county is storing equipment at an off-site, climate-controlled facility until installation.

The board moved and seconded the motion to review and sign the tower lease; after discussion about testing and timelines the motion carried by voice vote.

What’s next: Staff will coordinate testing with local police and fire departments, produce coverage maps for municipal review after field tests, and organize site tours for commissioners over the coming weeks. The board was advised that operational certification could occur several weeks after field testing is complete.