Commissioners press for cost details as Billings tower transfer and ambulance radio repairs remain unresolved

Daniels County commissioners were told this week that local ambulance radios are intermittently failing and that a draft agreement from the City of Billings to decommission and transfer a communications tower contains unclear and potentially costly terms for the county.

At the meeting, Lee Hinkley, who reported on ambulance communications, said technicians found antenna and cable problems on county rigs and that a local technician planned to return with shorter, higher‑gain antennas to resolve reception and reachability issues. "One of the problems found... on the older one that I kept saying it used to work... the antenna sitting on the front one it wasn't connected," Hinkley said, describing how a temporary mis‑reconnection had left a rig with reduced radio range.

Separately, the board reviewed a proposal from Billings that would require the county to pay costs associated with decommissioning, removal and reinstallation of a city tower if the county were to accept it. A Billings contact (identified as Brian on the call) told the commissioners he had expected a cost‑sharing arrangement but said the draft Daniels County had received lacked dollar figures. "It looks to us that we're going to pay the full extent of everything on this," Brian said, requesting the county forward the document so he could clarify the terms with Billings staff.

Commissioners asked staff to obtain a clear breakdown of likely costs — including crane days, transportation, and any city requirements for reimbursement of damage to city property — before making a decision. County officials also discussed an alternative: running fiber to the sheriff's office and using the tower as a backup, which could reduce reliance on costly tower erection and maintenance.

Why it matters: The county needs reliable radio communications for ambulances and emergency response. Accepting a used tower without defined costs could carry unknown financial exposure for Daniels County; the board said it will not approve any transfer until the financial terms are explicit and vetted by legal staff.

Next steps: The county's point person will send the Billings draft to the Billings contact and request an itemized estimate; staff will report back to the board once numbers and any proposed legal language are available. Commissioners also expected a follow‑up on the ambulance antenna repairs within days.