by Olivia P. Tucker
Intern Reporter
The Scott County Council met with Electronic Communication Systems (ECS) owner Michael Dyer during their monthly meeting June 14 to discuss the possibility of placing radio towers on the water towers at Austin, Scottsburg, and Lexington for a Simulcast system. The system for the radios hasn’t been updated in 10 years. Dyer presented a Powerpoint presentation to show the council what the towers could do for the county overall as well as a design for a low band system that worked for the needs of Scott County.
Dyer said after chairman Rachael Hardin showed concerns of the slideshow not being what was asked, “911 asked me to be able to show what some of the differences between the systems are.” He even added that this was a Powerpoint that he had ready to present two months prior to this meeting.
“There are no 800 band towers in Scott County,” said Dyer, He pointed out that Scott County is one of three counties in Indiana that doesn’t have these towers given by the state. Dyer thought it could have been because population was the reason, but Scott County is ranked 63 out of the 92 counties compared to the other two counties Warren and Union are ranked lower in population. There are 30 counties that are ranked lower than Scott County that have one to three 800 band towers that were provided by the state.
“Not only do you not have a [800 band] tower,” said Dyer, “But you also have a major interstate that runs through Scott County, which I would consider the busiest most active interstate throughout the state of Indiana.”
The total cost to build Simulcast System Towers $559,749 said Dyer however due to price increases, this is $30,000 more then when it was brought up last time to the council.
When Dyer finished the presentation, council member Diane Eads Mullins said that when Dyer first started the presentation that the state had provided the towers for other counties across the state, she would have thought it that the state would have put a tower in at no cost since Scott County was previously missed to be eligible for a tower.
Dyer said in response, “you would think but no.” and admitted that he was perplexed as to why the state wouldn’t put in a tower for free when they didn’t previously.
Council Member Raymond Jones pointed out that during the presentation that Dyer had stated with each radio tower put in place that there would be a building with heating and air conditioning to handle the weather changes of extreme heat and cold weather. Jones stated that there was no mention of the buildings being built prior to the presentation and showed concerns for the utility bill and the maintenance of the building to see if the system is operating. However Dyer responded that there is an alarm system to monitor the heater and air conditioner that wouldn’t require someone to check daily. When Jones asked about what would happen if the alarm system failed, Dyer had no comment to the question.
Councilman Donnie Richie pointed out, “This doesn’t include the sheriff’s department, which I think it’s wrong. I think it needs to go back to the commissioners and if they should include the sheriff with what he wants (for emergency communications). I can’t vote for this. And if we are going to help people outside of the county and leave a county department out, it just doesn’t make sense to me.”
Richie added that if Sheriff Jerry Goodin can get permission for the radios that the commissioners allow the funds to be requested for the 800 MHz radios then he can be on board for the towers to be added.
Councilman Eric Gillespie said, “we already voted this down in the past at $30,000 less, so if we would vote for it to pass at a $30,000 increased price today that would be a pretty striking example of non-efficiency in government.”
“Do you not think it’s a smart idea to keep our people safe one way or another? We have to go one way or the other,” Hardin asked Gillespie.
He responded that the council doesn’t have to go one way or the other but both Hardin and councilwoman Lyndi Hughbanks respond quickly that the council does have to decide.
“We have dead zones in the county (where emergency radios do not work),” said Hughbanks.
Gillespie commented that the county has had dead zones for a long time.
“And that doesn’t make it right,” said Hughbanks. “The response time is affected by that. Talk about staying the course and doing things we’ve always been doing. This is not right to have dead zones, this needs to be fixed to keep our citizens safe.”
The vote did not pass for the radio towers to be established in Scott County, Jones said after the vote it goes back to the County Commissioners.