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Verizon seeks lease changes for county tower; commissioners resist reduced rent and perpetual easement
Summary
A Verizon representative proposed either a lump-sum buyout tied to a perpetual easement or a lease restructuring with lower annual rent; commissioners expressed concern about a proposed $2,000-a-year reduction, perpetual easement language and the risk of losing the site, and asked staff and legal counsel to maintain the county’s current position and review any changes carefully.
Verizon representatives asked Becker County to renegotiate a communications-tower lease, offering two options: a lump-sum payment coupled with a perpetual easement or a long-term lease restructure with reduced annual rent.
The Verizon representative described industry changes and the options in detail: "Basically, the first option is a lump sum payment... And then the second form is more so of a lease restructuring option," the representative said. He framed the lump-sum/perpetual-easement option as a way to "lock in future uncertainty" by paying for the site's long-term value and offering landowners an immediate payment rather than relying on future rent.
Commissioners pressed for specifics and voiced skepticism about reducing the county’s annual revenue for the site. One commissioner said the proposed change amounted to approximately a $2,000 per year decrease and asked why other counties reportedly received increases while Becker County was being offered less. Another commissioner noted the county’s previous direction to remain with the current contract. County counsel and staff were asked to review legal implications, bond/guarantee requirements and removal obligations in the event Verizon later abandons a site.
County staff and legal counsel advised that if no agreement is reached, Verizon’s retention department may send a decline letter and begin evaluating relocation, but any current lease terms remain in effect until termination. The board did not approve a change and directed staff to maintain the county’s previous position and relay the board’s concerns to Verizon.
