County approves tower lease with Lighthouse Radio Network; staff reports unsolicited transfer offer of a Route 11 tower site

Penobscot County commissioners on Sept. 24 authorized the county director to finalize a lease with Lighthouse Radio Network for a radio tower site described in the meeting as "Passama King Mountain," paying $12,000 per year with a 3% annual increase. The board voted to approve the draft contract with the understanding the director would sign a final, revised agreement when ready.

The lease request came from staff who said climbers may need to inspect the tower on short notice and the county should have a signed contract available rather than delay because of scheduling. "I kinda need to have something in writing before we hire the climbers to go out and do the assessment," the presenter told commissioners. Commissioners voted, and the motion to authorize the director to sign the revised lease passed.

Separately, staff briefed commissioners on a separate development: Beeline Cable (a small regional provider recently sold to Charter/Spectrum) currently leases 3.1 acres above Route 11 for a tower site. Because the original land lease required removal and site restoration when the tenant left, the former tenant proposed transferring the tower, building and generator to the county, along with associated equipment. County staff described that arrangement as effectively a donation that would save the county an estimated $1.1 million compared with constructing a comparable new site.

County staff said the proposal would require negotiating a land lease or purchase: options include year‑to‑year leasing of the parcel from the landowner or a one‑time purchase to obtain direct control (staff recommended purchase as the long‑term cost‑saving choice). The county also expects to negotiate new tenant leases if it acquires the site; staff said future tenants could generate revenue and that the site could become a county asset used to expand radio and broadband coverage.

Commissioners and staff discussed logistics including access roads, tree clearing and initial site cleanup; staff estimated initial cleanup and tree work might run into the low five‑figure range. Staff also suggested exploring UT (county utility/transportation) or other TIF funding sources to cover acquisition and improvement costs and said they would bring a more detailed cost and funding plan back to the board.

Why this matters: ownership of an existing tower site could accelerate county radio and communications infrastructure expansion and provide a longer-term revenue stream; the lease authorization ensures the county can continue its work on an existing tower relationship while staff pursue the potential acquisition.