BENTONVILLE -- A planned emergency communications tower in the eastern part of Benton County was tabled Wednesday by the Planning Board after questions were raised about access to the site.
Fire Marshal Marc Trollinger said the county plans to replace the 80-foot-tall communications tower with a 150-foot-tall tower on property near Garfield, leased from the Lost Bridge Village Community Association. Trollinger said the county has had a tower at that location for all of the 20 years he has been in the fire service in the county.
Adam Black of Rogers told the Planning Board he owns the Lodge on Whitney Mountain and all of the property surrounding the proposed tower site. Black said the private drive allowing access to the tennis courts and the tower site is also part of the lodge property and there's no legal access granted to the location crossing lodge property. Black also said he objects to placing the 150-foot tower where it's proposed, saying it would interfere with the outdoor wedding facility at the lodge, but he would be willing to donate property nearby for the tower.
The board tabled the project until its July 5 meeting, giving Trollinger time to research the question of access and the possibility of moving the tower.
Fire chiefs from two volunteer fire departments in eastern Benton County submitted letters to the Planning Board expressing their support for the project, which they both said is needed.
"Communications in dispatch and operation are key ingredients to the protection of our residents," Chief Jerry Oliver of the Rocky Branch Fire Department, said. "The upgrade in equipment is vital to our continued success in providing services to you and your families in the event you should require activation of the 911 system."
Chief John Whisenant of the Beaver Lake Fire Department, also backed the project.
"As fire chief of the Beaver Lake Fire Department I have a vested interest in the safety of my responders," Whisenant said. "Communication is of vital importance in fire and emergency services, not only from a responder safety perspective but from a citizen safety perspective. This project will help to improve communication between several fire and EMS services in the Northeast Benton County area and could make the difference in saving a life."
NW News on 06/08/2017