County weighs options after radio-tower plans stall; bracing and new tower costs flagged

Sawyer County officials told the county board April 21 that public-safety radio infrastructure requires near-term decisions after a private tower partner likely will not deliver a planned site.

Gencom representatives told the public safety committee that the existing WJB tower requires additional bracing to support county equipment, with an estimated bracing cost of $35,000. Committee members discussed a temporary alternative of placing equipment on the Winter water tower, but staff warned that option would not fully resolve indoor coverage gaps in a large area southeast of Sawyer County.

Separately, a proposed Metobrook tower (referred to in committee discussion as a Bug Tustle/Metobrook project) appears unlikely to be built by the private developer, leaving the county to consider options. County staff and the administrator described the potential cost for a new county-owned tower at roughly $250,000; such a tower would be county-owned and could generate lease revenue by hosting cellular carriers, which would reduce net repayment costs. The administrator said the county is likely to consider funding options next month and suggested internal funding instead of issuing debt.

Committee discussion also noted that T-Mobile had expressed interest in leasing space and that some upgrades could be tied to third-party payments for engineering work. No final procurement or financing decision was made at the April 21 meeting; staff will return recommendations and cost estimates for board consideration.