Daniels County approves MOU with Billings to pursue decommissioning of 150-foot communications tower

Daniels County commissioners voted Nov. 26 to sign a memorandum of understanding with the City of Billings to pursue decommissioning and temporary storage of a 150-foot communications tower that Billings plans to remove.

The agreement, approved by voice vote with no opposition, clears the way for contractor Red Tail Communications and county staff to coordinate removal, staging and possible future reinstallation. Commissioners and contractor representatives said the teams will finalize separate, itemized quotes and insurance paperwork before crews begin on-site work.

Red Tail representatives told the county they have a manufacturer’s base template and drawings that specify the pad size and bolt pattern for the tower sections the county would receive. “We have the template from the manufacturer,” one Red Tail representative said; he added the company had priced “all new hardware” so the county would not be asked to reuse bolts and fasteners from the existing monopole.

County staff and Red Tail discussed logistics for moving 40-foot tower sections: options included two gooseneck trailers, a 40–50-ton flatbed semi or hiring a commercial hauler. Red Tail said crane insurance typically becomes primary on site and urged that a signed quote or email approval be in place before crane work begins, to clarify liability and coverage.

Priscilla U, identified in the meeting as the county 911 contact, confirmed she would sign the county portion of the paperwork and expected Red Tail to send separate, updated quotes that removed Billings’ monopole work so Daniels County could approve only its portion. “I’ll send you an updated quote too that pulls out the Daniels County part,” Priscilla said.

Contractors planned a visual inspection of the tower the day after the meeting to identify any deficiencies. If the inspection and paperwork are completed, participants tentatively targeted the first week of December for deconstruction, but they emphasized weather and equipment availability could push the work into winter or spring. Participants also discussed staging the sections on pallets or railway ties to keep bolt holes out of mud while a permanent pad is poured.

Next steps: Red Tail will provide photos, drawings and an updated quote; Daniels County will compile equipment and hauling options and confirm insurance documentation for the crane operator. The MOU with Billings will be executed via DocuSign and county staff will follow up with contractor inspection results and a final schedule.