The Clarion County 911 emergency system may be reaching new heights.
Clarion County commissioners on Tuesday discussed the purchase of the 400-foot “Motorola tower” in Strattanville that would enhance 911 emergency services throughout the county.
Commissioner Ted Tharan said the county had hired an inspector to investigate the viability of the 22-year-old tower. Tharan said Robert Green, the owner of the tower, was interested in donating the tower to the county.
That is a substantial savings over the $36,000 annual lease at the Trinity Point tower site. Tharan said that when the current lease expires in 2020, the county could be looking at a considerable increase in the lease.
County emergency services director Jeff Stahlman said the tower is 36 feet higher than the Trinity tower, which would help eliminate some of the dead spots in the county’s 911 emergency service.
Stahlman said the tower needs to be inspected prior to any purchase.
“We will need to determine what the load capacity is so we know what we can mount on the tower,” he said.
Stahlman said that although the tower was erected in 1997 it should have a life expectancy of up to 60 years.
Robert Heathe will do the tower analysis at a cost of $7,250.
“This is part of our plan to own our own towers,” Tharan said. “If we continue to lease we could be booted off the towers at some point. Our 911 service is critical to the people of Clarion County.”
The county currently utilizes seven tower sites.
In other business Tuesday, the commissioners announced a tentative agreement with the United Mine Workers of America on a new four-year contract with the county’s Children and Youth Services employees.
Tharan said the CYS workers have approved the contract, and the commissioners are expected to ratify the pact next week.
The commissioners will hold a regular business meeting at 10 a.m. Tuesday in the county administration building.