Council authorizes negotiation on 10-year cell-tower buyout offer

The Fountain Green City Council on April 19 gave the mayor and Councilmember Vaughn authority to negotiate with APC Towers over a proposed $268,000 buyout of the town's 10-year cell-tower lease. Councilmembers debated whether to accept a guaranteed lump sum now or continue receiving monthly rent payments that could grow if additional tenants are added.

Councilmember Vaughn outlined the city’s expected revenue stream under the current lease — a base monthly rent plus tenant payments per carrier — and said the buyout offer is roughly equivalent to the projected 10-year guaranteed base revenue. Several councilmembers raised concerns that new technologies or satellite providers (for example, Starlink or others) could reduce future tenant demand, making a lump-sum sale more attractive. “We could cash out now for $268,000 or try to negotiate more,” Vaughn said during the discussion.

After discussion the council moved and seconded a motion to allow the mayor and Vaughn to pursue negotiations and return with a proposal. The motion passed by voice vote. Staff will bring any negotiated offers back to council for approval before signing.

Why it matters: The decision balances immediate fiscal certainty against potential future revenue from adding tenants or rising demand. Council members asked staff to seek better terms if possible and to return any proposed agreement for a final council vote.