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Commissioners urge county to take lead on inoperable 'yellow' siren near city property
Summary
Commissioners reviewed paperwork showing an older civil-defense siren’s ownership is unclear, found it is uninsured and inoperable, and discussed having county crews or partners remove it to prevent structural damage and safety hazards.
County commissioners spent a substantial portion of their Feb. 17 meeting discussing an inoperable yellow civil-defense siren mounted on a pole in a narrow parcel between the city fire hall and a Nemont building.
Staff presented paperwork showing Warner Harrison’s name on past invoices and suggested the siren had historically been handled through county channels rather than the city. Commissioners said they could not find evidence that the siren is currently insured by the city and worried that, if it fell, it could damage the county building below. One commissioner urged the county to take the lead to remove the siren before it causes damage.
Participants discussed technical and logistical hurdles: the pole’s height (estimates ranged widely), access to equipment (bucket trucks and man lifts), whether Nemont or MDU could assist, and the question of property ownership for the pole. A staffer said the library or local contractors may have equipment capable of reaching the device, and that county crews have raised concerns after seeing the pole torque in high winds.
Commissioners agreed to pursue removal or remediation before the structure fails, asking staff to coordinate with utility providers and the fire department to identify who can safely take the siren down and confirm whether power is disconnected.
No formal motion to fund removal was recorded in the transcript; commissioners discussed options and asked staff to follow up with specifics on ownership, insurance and equipment access.
