County communications staff presented the Public Protection and Justice Committee with pros and cons of purchasing the existing Hammond radio tower for $300,000 or building a new, taller tower in partnership with Saint Croix Electric.

Why it matters: Public-safety radio coverage affects sheriff, fire and EMS operations. A taller, newer tower would expand coverage in hilly and rural areas; buying the existing tower would be cheaper up front but raises questions about remaining useful life, maintenance needs and potential liability because the structure sits close to a privately owned building.

Terry Anderson summarized the options: the existing tower is 199 feet tall and was built in 1993; a consultant advised an expected life of 50 to 60 years, and Anderson said county work to acquire the existing tower would likely require about $50,000 in upgrades (security and access) to make the site fully serviceable. A proposed replacement tower would be about 330 feet and — given elevation differences — would materially improve coverage in the Hammond area.

Supervisor Ramburg reported that the current owner had offered to amend the purchase agreement to bring the site “to standards” at the seller’s expense and to provide deeded access and a surveyed site. Ramburg said the tower manufacturer advised that towers built to that design can be usable up to 70 years depending on environmental and load factors; Ramburg said the manufacturer noted the Hammond tower carries a relatively light antenna load.

Ramburg also noted the price difference between replacing and buying: “dollars 500,000 is the difference, which is a lot of money,” he said, explaining why further due diligence is warranted. Committee members asked whether maintenance frequency differs by tower type; Anderson said inspections and maintenance continue to be required and that environmental stresses (wind, ice, hail) make continued investment likely if the county acquires an older tower.

Sheriff (present) described operational consequences of coverage gaps, saying that during an officer‑involved shooting south of Spring Valley roughly 13–14 years ago, local radios did not work in that location and state patrol vehicles provided a trunking system to relay communications. He said law enforcement, fire and EMS would all benefit from reduced “shadow” areas if a taller tower or additional towers are added.

Committee members discussed next steps: verifying the owner’s written amendments to a purchase agreement (scope of work, deeded access), obtaining a formal manufacturer inspection and structural report, clarifying long‑term maintenance costs, and quantifying the population and area that would gain coverage. Anderson noted that the county is proposing additional towers in the system’s 2029 go‑live upgrade to address other weak spots in the southwest and northeast corners of the county.

No motion or vote was taken; the item remained a discussion-only agenda item. The committee said it would request written documentation from the owner, a structural inspection report, and population/coverage maps for a future meeting.

Ending: Staff will return with a written purchase amendment (if provided by the owner), a manufacturer/inspection report and estimates of lifecycle costs before the committee considers any acquisition or construction motion.