Currently up for grabs, the cell tower near Tullahoma, TN has caught the eye of the Coffee County 911 Communications District Board. Communication Center Director, Scott LeDuc, told The Manchester Times the county is considering purchasing the tower rather than waiting to make a new lease deal when some other entity buys the cell tower.
The site in question hosts a 190-foot guyed tower, plus an equipment shed. The tower generates approximately $5,000 per year in revenue.
“There’s a lot to talk about,” LeDuc said of the county’s consideration of the purchase. “If we are in need of a tower, instead of jumping through all the hoops it takes to get the licensing, the permits, the site – to find a site to put one, one that is already in place, makes a lot more sense.”
“I’m curious to see what he’s [the current site owner] asking for,” said committee member and Coffee County Sheriff Chad Partin. “It has the potential to make money and pay for itself.”
Partin noted that there are other cell towers in the area. However, the current arrangement leaves some sections of the region without sufficient coverage. The sheriff’s department recently purchased new Motorola radios. Purchasing the tower would be an aid to the county’s 911 communications, he noted, according to The Manchester Times.
Purchasing the tower and renting out additional space could provide another revenue stream for law enforcement. Alternatively, the department could choose to erect a new tower, or continue to participate as a tenant rather than as a tower owner.
A three person subcommittee including LeDuc, Partin, and fellow committee member Mark Williams has been created to research Coffee County’s best options.
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