Commissioners press for costs and vendor briefings before approving $3.8M in radio towers

A proposal from the county radio committee to add two towers in the southeast and northeast corners of Parker County prompted extensive questioning about technical need and who will pay for construction and equipment. The committee said the two towers are the most urgent of an identified set of four, and presented coverage maps that show persistent signal gaps in the south and along U.S. 20. One commissioner pressed for full cost detail before approving the towers, saying, "So the problem that we have here is this $3,843,000 we do not have that will not be generated." Several commissioners asked staff to invite Motorola and other vendors to explain why earlier presentations that suggested one tower plus a 700 MHz upgrade would have been sufficient now appear to require additional towers.

Radio-committee members and public-safety staff said the towers are needed to ensure deputies and first responders have mobile and portable coverage in low-coverage corridors and inside buildings. The committee noted possible offsets — lease-site reductions and cooperative leasing with neighboring jurisdictions — but could not confirm enough non-county revenue to close the funding gap. Commissioners asked staff to return with: (1) total project cost including equipment and migration of existing gear; (2) vendor presentations and alternative technical proposals; and (3) grant and cooperative-lease options. There was no final vote to appropriate funds for the towers at this meeting.