Sagadahoc County authorizes ARPA interest to reapply to FCC after radio license termination puts go‑live at risk

Sagadahoc County commissioners voted Oct. 28 to authorize use of accrued ARPA interest to cover fees for a new Federal Communications Commission application after the county’s radio‑system license was terminated for non‑construction and a petition for reconsideration remains pending.

The board’s unanimous authorization followed a briefing from project manager Norm Boucher that West Bath’s tower is essentially complete but two other sites, Merritt Hill and Higgins Hill, remain under construction and that microwave links and final power hookups must be in place before the system can go live. Boucher said the county had been given a May target for cutover but emphasized that microwave links, the availability of contractors and an FCC backlog made dates uncertain.

Boucher told commissioners the FCC recently sent a termination letter "advising that the license would be terminated due to non‑construction." He said RCM submitted a petition for reconsideration but the federal government shutdown is delaying agency processing. If the petition is denied, Boucher recommended resubmitting a new application—“another $6–$7,000 to go through the process again,” he said—and preparing frequency coordination and engineering work so the county can move quickly when the FCC portal reopens.

Commissioners pressed staff about site power and permitting. Communications Director Mike Carter said the final power connection at West Bath is pending a permit between Central Maine Power and the electrical contractor; without power and microwave backhaul the tower cannot be energized. Boucher explained that, even if a single tower is physically ready, the network requires linked microwave paths and coordinated FCC authorizations to operate as intended.

Commissioner Charles Crosby raised the prospect of pursuing congressional assistance but Boucher cautioned that political escalation can sometimes slow FCC handling. Boucher also described other paths if licensing remains delayed, including seeking a Special Temporary Authorization for public‑safety operations, saying, “you can’t just turn off a 9‑1‑1 system, right?”

Finance Director Jill Flaherty told the board ARPA interest accrues about $2,000 monthly and the account balance was around $1.5 million; commissioners said roughly $6,000 in accrued interest could cover a new application. Commissioner McPhee moved to authorize the expenditure from ARPA interest for the FCC reapplication; Commissioner Crosby seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

The commissioners also discussed leasing and marketing the new towers once they are operational. Boucher and Communications Director Carter outlined how carriers and site managers typically market tower capacity, and noted consultant fees commonly range from 10 to 25 percent of lease revenue. Commissioners emphasized that public‑safety communications remain the priority and directed staff to verify planning‑board conditions and permitting in host towns before pursuing commercial tenants.

Next steps: staff will prepare for a new FCC application and check planning and permit records for the three sites. The county will monitor the FCC portal and contractor schedules; project leaders said the radio system cutover will depend on microwave/backhaul completion, Eastern Maine weather windows and FCC timing.