Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Radio Towers topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commissioners budget one radio tower, debate spending timing on $3.8M communications project
Summary
Parker County commissioners debated whether to budget the full $3.8 million communications upgrade now or phase spending; after discussion and an amendment the court approved budgeting for one radio tower and authorized related radio purchases and contingency planning.
After a detailed staff presentation on radio equipment and coverage needs, commissioners debated whether to budget the full $3.8 million radio tower project now or phase the work. Staff outlined a $3.8 million cost for tower construction and described recent price increases for handheld Motorola APX radios. Commissioners and staff flagged coverage gaps, projected population growth and the risk that construction costs will rise if the work is delayed.
"For every year that we kick the can down the road, it's just gonna get more expensive," said Commissioner Holt, who initially moved to budget the full $3.8 million but then amended the motion. Holt said the court should at least fund one tower now to secure coverage in high-need areas.
The court debated coordination with neighboring jurisdictions—Commissioners noted that some coverage needs straddle the Tarrant County line and that aligning with Fort Worth or Tarrant County could reduce duplicate spending. Staff told the court the $9 million previously allocated (largely ARPA-funded) for communications work remains and that some system components still need to be brought online for a full assessment.
After discussion and an amendment, the court voted to budget funding for one radio tower now and authorized the related radio purchases previously described by staff. The court directed staff to continue intergovernmental outreach and to return with implementation details and deliverables.
