Curry County approves $64,697.94 emergency repairs to Agnes tower

Curry County commissioners on July 9 approved emergency repairs to the Agnes communications tower, voting to spend $64,697.94 to stabilize the county’s public-safety communications network.

The action came after the chair opened a discussion calling the issue “an emergency” and saying the repairs are necessary to ensure communications for emergency responders as the region approaches fire season. Commissioner Coker moved to "support the recommendation to do the repairs on the Agnes Towers as soon as possible in the amount of $64,697.94," and the chair seconded. The motion passed by voice vote with Commissioners recorded as voting yes.

The decision followed a staff explanation that the county’s system is “operational, but not stable.” A staff member told commissioners, “I'm told that the problem that we're that is that is making this happen right now is that is that our system's on a t 1 line instead of an Ethernet system,” and described the proposed work as a stabilizing fix ahead of a larger Motorola or system-wide upgrade.

Commissioners characterized the repair as the immediate first step in a broader infrastructure and deferred-maintenance effort. The chair said the work addresses current instability and that additional, larger upgrades will be planned to move the system from the temporary stabilizing measures to a more complete Ethernet-based solution.

The approved motion authorizes the county to proceed with the emergency repairs; the board did not provide further procurement details in the meeting record. After approving the repairs the board announced it would move into executive session under state statute and asked nonparticipants to leave.

The chair closed the special meeting shortly after the executive session, noting the time as 10:48 on July 9.