Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Warning lights for the Coryell County Radio tower have completely failed leading the county to use emergency funds to pay for the repair.
The 460-foot radio tower on the east end of town near Highway 36 serves the Coryell County Sheriff’s Office, Coryell County and Gatesville Fire Department and the Gatesville Police Department and Emergency Medical Services.
The red and white warning lights on the top and sides of the tower are required by the Federal Aviation Administration to warn aircraft. The tower was down to just functioning white lights and the county commissioners were looking into next year’s budget to pay for the repairs. But now that the white lights have also stopped working, emergency repairs are required to avoid a fine by the F.A.A.
There were no funds allocated for this repair in the current budget so the commissioners will need to find the extra $28,700 for the repairs.
“Whatever it takes to make it work, I think it’s important to get it,” Commissioner Daren Moore said at Tuesday’s Commissioner’s Court meeting.
County Auditor Ben Roberts was not at Tuesday’s meeting. The court voted unanimously to approve a motion to address the replacement of the lights as an emergency expenditure. Where the money will come from will be decided by Roberts at the next Commissioners Court meeting.
Once the funding is secured, the lights could be replaced as early as September 1.
