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Joint committees back $1.8M supplemental to move Dickerson radio tower onto county land
Summary
A joint committee recommended a resolution to the full Montgomery County Council to amend the FY25 capital program and add an $1,800,000 supplemental appropriation to relocate the Dickerson radio tower to county property; the full project cost is estimated at $3.8 million.
A joint committee recommended to the full Montgomery County Council a resolution to amend the FY25 capital improvements program and add a supplemental appropriation of $1,800,000 in general obligation bonds to relocate the Dickerson radio tower to county-owned land off Ash Road.
Ms. Frog told the committee the tower currently sits on private property atop a smokestack and the property owner has asked the county to remove it. "The Dickerson Radio Tower is currently on private property on top of a smoke stack ... the owner of that private property has indicated that they want the tower removed," she said, and added that because the lease expired the county has been on a month-to-month arrangement.
The executive’s request adds $1,800,000 to FY25 to move the tower and shelter to county property. Ms. Frog said market volatility and higher material costs raised the total project estimate to about $3,800,000. Because the private owner has given the county an accelerated timetable, staff said the relocation must be completed quickly and the supplemental appropriation reflects necessary FY25 expenditures.
Committee members pressed staff on contingency plans and coverage. Mike Knopfel, manager of the public-safety group, said the Department of General Services and its contractors do not expect issues with continuing a month-to-month lease in the near term but have a target to be off the smokestack by June 2026. He said the county can deploy interim NCR resources and cellular options to preserve voice communications while the new tower is constructed. "They do not see any issue with us continuing a month to month," Knopfel told the committee.
Co-Chair Katz asked whether the new site would create dead spots; Jerry Adcock replied it would not because the relocation is short and the microwave backhaul will allow the county to reacquire signals when the tower is back on air. The committee voted to recommend the resolution and amendment to the full council without objection.
Next step: the joint committees forwarded the resolution to the full Montgomery County Council for final action.
