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• �'� E B 7 1989 BOOK 76 f'�rF ,38 FCC REQUEST TO CANCEL EXISTING LEASE & PURCHASE SPACE ON HOBART TOWER The Board reviewed memo from the Director of Emergency Management Services: TO: James Chandler DATE: January 30, 1989 FILE: County Administrator SUBJECT: Federal Communications Com- mission Request to Purchase Antenna Space on Hobart Tower and Cancel Existing Lease FROM: Doug Wright, Director REFERENCES: Emergency Management Services It is respectfully requested that the information contained herein be given formal consideration by the Board of County Commissioners at the next scheduled meeting. DESCRIPTION AND CONDITIONS On June 14, 1988, a Tower Space Lease was executed between the Federal Communications Commission and Indian River County wherein the Fed- eral Communications leased antenna space on the County owned Hobart Tower at the 390' level for the monthly rental rate of $180.00 or $2,160 dollars per year. The term of the lease was from year to year with termination available with notice. The Federal Communications Commission advised in writing on December 7, 1988, that federal budget cuts had effected the agency drastic- ally. The County was advised that for the FCC to meet the reduced level of funding, the Antenna Lease executed on June 14, 1988 with Indian River County would have to be cancelled. The FCC has also advised that although the federal budget allocation for the agency does not allow for tower rental, some funds were available under another separate relocation account to purchase long term space on the tower. Some informal negotiations have taken place wherein Bob McKinney of the FCC has tentatively agreed to pay $8,500 for space on the tower for a period of five years at which time the issue would be revisited and renegotiated. At the current monthly rate, this figure would represent a savings of $2,300 to the FCC since $180 per month would generate $10,800 in revenue for the County. ALTERNATIVES AND ANALYSIS While the price of $8,500 appears favorable to the FCC, there is also some benefit to the County in that a portion of the funds paid by the FCC in a one time payment could be utilized to improve the grounding system at the tower. The tower was struck at least three times in 1988 causing repairs in excess of $4,000 to equipment. Significant improvements need to be made to the grounding system to prevent the continued expenditure of funds for repairs that could be avoided with state of the art grounding technology. While light- ning cannot be prevented from striking the tower, the damage can be minimized from that natural phenomena and these funds would assist in that regard. 38