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County tower bid awarded
By Courtney Burleson, Managing Editor
Colorado County Commissioners Court awarded the bid Monday morning, Nov. 24 for a 450-foot self-supporting communication tower.
The bid was awarded to World Tower out of Mayfield, Ky. for approximately $824,000. This includes the tower itself, the foundation and setup, according to Colorado County Emergency Management Coordinator Chuck Rogers. The county is able to build the tower with Homeland Security project grant funds they received in 2006.
The tower will be located on Texas Department of Public Safety property near the intersection of FM 2434 and Dee Allen Road, northwest of Columbus. Once the tower project is completed ownership will be conveyed to Department of Public Safety.
The county currently uses a tower further down FM 2434, which they pay $1,400 a month in rent.
“That is escalated three to five percent a year so the quicker we can get this done the quicker that equates long term savings for the county,” said Rogers.
Rogers said other benefits for the county include having a regional tower for the county with regional radio capabilities. Currently the county is part of the Houston-Galveston Area Council regional network but is unable to access the system.
“Having this tower will give us a starting point for having access back in the HGAC system,” said Rogers.
Plans are also in the works for an equipment shelter that can also serve as an alternate dispatching site for the sheriff’s department in an emergency. Rogers stated the tower would have room for other entities to utilize it including the city of Columbus, the Lower Colorado River Authority, Harris County and DPS, all of who have expressed interest.
Rogers said the tower is engineered to withstand sustained winds of 100-105 miles per hour and winds of 30 miles per hour with a quarter inch of ice.
Rogers hopes to have the tower project completed and working by the end of 2009.
In other business the court:
Did not reinstate burn ban.
Colorado County Commissioners Darrell Gertson, Pct. 4 and Commissioner Doug Wessels, Pct. 3 were given authority to advertise for an Emergency Medical Services Director in Colorado County. Commissioner Gertson said they currently have two applicants they are meeting with and if one of those works out they will not need to advertise.
Reviewed county employees compensatory/holiday time for 2008 and voted to pay employee time down to necessary amount to get off the books for year-end.
Appointed Diane Matus as the county wellness coordinator and Commissioner Tommy Hahn as the executive sponsor for the Texas Association of Counties statewide wellness initiative health county program.
Authorized payment of invoices submitted by Wakefield Bridge incorporation for construction of bridges under emergency status for precincts 3 ad 4.
Executed contract for library services between Colorado County and Eula and David Wintermann Library.
Approved Texas Department of Transportation’s letter reference replacement of bridge at Lost Fork Goldenrod Creek completed and accepted by TxDOT Nov. 5., sheriff’s department application for Homeland Security Grant and certificate of liability insurance posted by Aspect Holdings, LLC.
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