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