Long in the works, a ribbon cutting ceremony officially welcoming a new cell tower to Lucas, OH is scheduled for later this week. As the Richland Source reports, the new tower is the culmination of a project uniting state and local agencies focused on improving public safety and emergency communications.
Plans for the new cell tower include a sublease with Verizon Wireless for both cell phone and broadband services.
“This is not just a Lucas project. It’s not just a Richland County project. It’s a whole region project,” said Richland County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Jim Sweat. “When the general public looks for an example of government working together, this [tower project] included everyone … state, county, township, village … This is a true win-win for the public.”
He noted that the project really began in earnest back in 2019, when county commissioners approved plans for a $1.5 million investment in a Multi-Agency Radio Communications System (MARCS). “It really goes back to when we sat down and realized going to MARCS was going to be a good fit for the county,” Sweat noted. MARCS ended up contributing $300,000 in equipment to help the community build the tower.
Funds pooled from other sources all contributed to the building of the 300 foot cell tower that will serve as a resource throughout the region. The state fire marshal’s office released $550,000 in grants for fire stations in the area to upgrade their equipment in coordination with the new MARCS tower. Other funding came from a capital fund of $573,281 that was secured by county commissioners, along with an additional $150,000 from the county. $400,000 in grant funding was obtained through the state’s capital budget.
“This project is a great example of state, county and local government working together in partnership to increase public safety to the entire region by providing enhanced radio communications to first responders,” said Sweat. “The tower in Lucas is just the last phase.”
Reader Interactions