Branch County, MI has plans to construct a network of five cell towers, but they aren’t sure where to put them all, according to The Daily Reporter. Permanent placements have been found for four of the five proposed towers, but the fifth one still needs a home. Talks are ongoing as the parties have not yet reached a monetary agreement.
Three of the new sites have foundations already poured and are awaiting the next phase of construction while the fourth tower is slated to be built in July. That tower will be located on the grounds of Branch County jail, which is also undergoing an upgrade. When completed, the five towers will host a new 800 MHz radio system.
If all parties can come to terms, the fifth tower is likely to be erected at the former Lakeland School. However, before plans can proceed, the Coldwater Community Schools and the county have to agree on a price. So far, the county has balked at the school district’s $50,000 price tag, according to The Daily Reporter.
There is some urgency in reaching an agreement as J&K Communication, the firm hired to erect the towers, intends to make arrangements to bring in equipment in early June. The county has paid $8.2 million to upgrade and revamp police, fire and emergency communication systems and Coldwater Fire Chief Dave Schmaltz reminded the 911 board of the June deadline. Schmaltz also noted the progress is being made in making their new communications system interoperable with the system used by the Michigan State Police.
Reader Interactions